The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has been thrust into electoral controversy after its Elections Dispute Adjudication Committee (EDAC) nullified the June 30 Ashanti Regional Chairperson election results, citing grave irregularities and procedural breaches.
The dramatic reversal comes after a formal petition filed by a contestant raised red flags about the integrity of the process. Following weeks of scrutiny, EDAC determined that multiple violations—including an unconstitutional supplementary voter list and questionable voter eligibility—cast doubt on the credibility of the outcome, which was decided by a razor-thin margin of just one vote.
EDAC Chairperson Rebecca Quaicoe-Duho, Secretary Benjamin Bano-Bioh, and Technical Advisor Zakaria Tanko jointly announced the decision in a statement that called for a fresh election within fourteen working days.
“This was not a light decision. But with a margin this narrow, even seemingly minor irregularities could have swung the outcome,” Bano-Bioh emphasized at a briefing.
At the centre of the controversy is the last-minute inclusion of a supplementary voter list—compiled on election day itself. EDAC ruled this move unconstitutional, further revealing that at least one person registered in Greater Accra was permitted to vote in the Ashanti Region contest.
Such anomalies, the committee stated, were sufficient to compromise the fairness of the vote and warranted a complete do-over to preserve the Association’s democratic values.
To prevent a repeat of the issues, the EDAC has outlined strict directives for the re-run:
- A definitive list of eligible voters must be published in national newspapers and shared with all candidates at least three working days before voting.
- No additions or supplementary lists will be allowed under any circumstances.
“We want transparency and integrity restored. GJA members must ensure these measures are enforced so that the re-run truly reflects the will of the region’s journalists,” Quaicoe-Duho urged.
The EDAC is expected to issue a detailed report on its investigation and recommendations to the GJA Secretariat and the wider public soon.
