New Regions: Referendum to go ahead despite imminent injunction

The Electoral Commission (EC) has called on electorates to come out in their numbers and vote in the new region referendum despite reports of an imminent injunction on the process.

A statement signed by a Deputy Chair of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, Bossman Eric Asare, said the referendum will come off as scheduled.

“…The Commission calls on the general public to disregard that information. All arrangements are in place and the referendum will be held as scheduled.”

The referenda is seeking to create six new regions: Western North, Ahafo, Bono East, Oti, North East and Savannah.

At least half of all eligible voters must vote and at least 80% must vote ‘Yes’ for the creation to be approved.

Those in favour must vote Yellow for Yes, and those against, dark brown for No.

Gabriel Aziaglo of Dodo Tamale in the Kadjebi District and Dan Louis Nikabo of Avornyokope also in the Kadjebi District of the Volta Region on Monday December 24, 2018 applied to the High Court to put an injunction on the December 27 referendum to create six new regions.

The two in their writ argue that the Electoral Commission failed to publish the list of polling stations in the gazette thus violating the “applicants’ right to vote.”

They also argue that the official gazette in respect to the polling stations if it was made within a week or five days before the 27th of December, 2018, is unlawful, unreasonable and capricious.

The two also said the Commission’s failure to gazette the 27th December, 2018 referendum puts the poll “in danger of not being transparent and fair because it disables applicants from appointing polling agents and counting officers.”

Read a copy of the statement from the EC below:

PURPORTED INJUNCTION ON THE REFERENDUM PRESS RELEASE

The Commission has received reports from a section of the media that an injunction has been placed on the upcoming referendum scheduled for Thursday the 27th Day of December, 2018.

The Commission calls on the general public to disregard that information.

All arrangements are in place and the referendum will be held as scheduled on Thursday the 27thof December, 2018.

The Commission calls on all eligible voters in the affected areas of BONO EAST, AHAFO, NORTH EAST, SAVANNA, WESTERN NORTH, and OTI to go out in their numbers to cast their votes on Thursday, 27th December, 2018 from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Thank you.

Read also: New Regions: Ballots for voting out

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