Ashanti Region’s Voter Numbers Reduces By 57,000, NDC Celebrates

Provisional results from the Electoral Commission’s compilation of the new voters register for the 2020 election has reportedly resulted in the reduction of votes in the Ashanti Region by over 57,000.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Ashanti Regional branch is said to be jubilating over the deflation of the voter numbers in the stronghold of the governing New Patriotic Party.

“The reality is that figures in strongholds of the NPP have dropped considerably and figures in those strongholds of the NDC have appreciated significantly. But in the ensuing days we will do a comprehensive analysis and publish for everybody who understands the dynamics to study accordingly,” Kwame Zu, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC is quoted as saying to Kumasi-based Luv FM.

The Ashanti Region has over the years become is the political stronghold of the governing NPP and even though the Electoral Commission’s compilation of the new voters’ register has been branded as an attempt by the Akufo-Addo government to rig the 2020 election, it appears it may not come on a silver platter that the NDC attributes to its vigilance.

In July, the Ashanti regional branch of the NDC reported massive inflation of the voter register in the region by EC officials after the 1st batch of the 1st Phase of the registration exercise ended. The EC had registered 7,869 applicants in the Offinso North Constituency, however, they published 26,886 registered applicants.

In the Afigya Sekyere East Constituency, the EC registered 8,975 applicants, but the EC published 14,263.

In the Juaben Constituency, the EC registered 5,802 applicants, but Madam Jean Mensa published 11,574.

In the Afigya Kwabre North Constituency, the EC registered 5,268 applicants, but Madam Jean Mensa again published 10,419.

“We have drawn the attention of the EC to the development and their district officers have confirmed our figures to be right. The regional leadership of the EC has also admitted that the figures have indeed been padded, but as usual, they claim it was entered in error,” Mr. Kwame Zu had said.

The EC would later admit the figures were indeed heavily padded and promise to clean it up.