RPD Presidential Candidate Lied

It has now been established that the Presidential candidate of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), Mr Kwabena Adjei, obtained one vote at the Adiebeba M/A Primary School polling station and not zero as he claimed.

Records available at the office of the District Electoral Commission in Kumasi have established that Mr Adjei, scored one vote during the Presidential election on December 7, 2008 at the polling station where he cast his vote and not zero as he indicated to the Daily Graphic.

According to the records, his wife never cast her vote at any of the two polling stations at Adiebeba, a Kumasi suburb, as he told the Daily Graphic and published on December 11, 2008 issue of the paper.

In a story published on page six of that issue,  Mr Adjei told the Daily Graphic that there were some irregularities in the December 7 general elections because even at the polling station at Adiebeba where he and his wife cast their votes, the RPD got zero vote.

He alleged that some anomalies in the elections were indications the December 7, 2008 general election, which had been touted as free, fair, transparent and credible, was characterised by some irregularities and that he had learnt some lessons that would guide him in future elections.

The District Electoral Officer, Mrs Diana Osei Asibey, who was reacting to the views expressed by Mr Adjei, refuted the allegations and showed  documents on the final results declared at the Adiebeba polling station to the Daily Graphic. 

According to the records, Mr Kwabena Adjei, alias Bambata, cast his vote at the F120113 polling station at the Adiebeba M/A Primary School.

She said there were only two polling stations at Adiebeba, both of which were located at the M/A Primary and Junior High schools.

Mrs Osei Asibey said at the M/A Primary polling station where Mr Adjei cast his vote, there were 1,345 registered voters and 21 transferred votes, which brought the total number of eligible voters to 1,366.

She further said a total of 1,500 ballots were issued for the exercise, and at the end of the polls the records showed that 1,024 eligible voters exercised their franchise, two ballots were rejected, while 496 ballots were unused.

Mrs Osei Asibey said after voting time at 5p.m. the ballots were counted in the presence of all the party agents and the results declared indicated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP), candidate had 755 votes in his favour with the People's National Convention (PNC) candidate scoring three.

She said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate obtained 246 votes, the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), zero and the Convention People's Party candidate (CPP), eight votes.

The District Electoral Officer said both the Reformed Patriotic Democrats and the Independent Presidential candidate scored only one vote each at the Adiebeba M/A Primary, and therefore, wondered why Mr Adjei was throwing dust into the eyes of the public that he obtained no vote although he and his family had cast their votes at the polling station.

Mrs Osei Asibey said the records also showed that Mr Adjei's wife was not a registered voter at any of the Adiebeba polling stations as he indicated and that his assertions were only an attempt to win public sympathy at the expense of the credibility and positive image of the Electoral Commission, which was recognised worldwide.

Mrs Osei Asibey said the number of the M/A Junior High School polling station was F120114 and there, 1,024 eligible voters cast their votes  on election day as against the total registered voters of 1,366, which included transferred voters.

She said after the ballots had been counted and certified by all party agents, the NPP had 753 votes, the PNC five, the NDC scored 217, while  the DFP and DPP obtained no votes at that polling station. The CPP had eight, the RPD one vote, while the Independent candidate obtained zero.

Story by George Ernest Asare, Kumasi