AFARI-GYAN DEFLECTS ACCUSATION, " I HAVE NO BASIS TO CHANGE RESULTS, The Enquirer, Wednesday July 17,2013.

By   Felix Engsalige Nyaaba

Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission and chief returning officer of the 2012 presidential elections yesterday told the Supreme Court that he cannot found any basis to change the election results regardless of numerous allegations of votes padding and massive frauds made by the Petitioners.

The EC boss who has been under cross examination by lead counsel for the petitioners, Mr. Philip Addison made these commence while answering  questions bordering on votes padding as alleged by the petitioners in favour of President John  Dramani Mahama .

The Petition brought by three leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) seeks to overturn presidential election results in favour Nana Akuffo Addo, the party 2012 presidential candidate.

Mr Addison yesterday took Dr Afari-Gyan through some data analysis prepared by the petitioners claiming massive malpractices and irregularities which in his view was padded to the disadvantage of his clients.

According to counsel, out of a total of 810,827 votes of persons who voted without biometric verification, President John Mahama, the then candidate for the NDC benefited 558,236 votes while the NPP candidate Nana Akuffo Addo had 234,161.

On a total of 659,135 which had been affected by the absence of signatures of presiding officers, 447,655 votes went in favour of President John Mahama, while Nana Akuffo Addo benefited 197,628 votes.

Touching on the allegation of duplicate serial numbers, the petitioners alleged that  out of a total of 3,499,308,  which were affected, President John Mahama benefited2338,993votes while Nana Addo benefited by 1,093,661.

In total, the Petitioners have said all violations amounted to 3,916 385 votes of which President Mahama gained 2, 612,788, while Nana Akuffo Addo also benefited 2,228,229.

But the EC Boss denied all the claims in the petitioners analysis and said he cannot state for fact of those allegation of padding of results, adding that the results declared were r those the EC received through its returning officers across the country  and that there was no way of determining which candidate has benefited from an over-vote.

Dr. Afari-Gyan noted that it was not correct for the petitioners or anybody to say that because someone won an election, he is a beneficiary of an over-vote.

Some pink sheets which Dr Afari-Gyan was asked to cross check and confirm to the court of their duplicate serial numbers became a subject of contention leading Addison to extend his cross-examination of the witness after James Qurashie-Idun counsel for the EC served notice of re-examination on the witness.

The EC after indicating to the court that there was no going to be re-examination pulled  the pink sheets and  wanted to tender to the court as evidence , but the petitioners counsel objected to it on the grounds that the EC was conducting a fresh case after Addison has closed his cross examination.

The issues however could not solve immediately the case was adjourned for the petitioners to cross examine Afar-Gyan.

Court returns today at 10:00 am for Afari-Gyan to confirm the duplicate serial numbers.