Polls have officially closed in the hotly contested Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, marking the end of a day marred by political violence, tight security, and an alarmingly low voter turnout.
The Electoral Commission (EC), in a press conference shortly before the voting ended, condemned the acts of violence that disrupted the electoral process in several polling stations, including the widely reported attack at Methodist 1.
The rerun, involving 19 polling stations, was meant to restore confidence in the democratic process after months of legal battles and uncertainty—but the events of the day have raised new concerns about political intimidation and voter apathy.
In a sharp rebuke, former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia also condemned the violence, urging the Ghana Police Service to act decisively and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
He emphasized that without swift and visible consequences, such lawlessness could become a dangerous precedent in future elections.
Turnout data across multiple polling centres paints a bleak picture of voter engagement.
At the Church of Pentecost Odorkor North polling station, only 57 voters out of 137 expected showed up.
While at Odorkor North 2, just 33 out of 66 turned out to cast their ballots.
Many attribute the low numbers to today being a working day, but others point to the tense atmosphere, fear of violence, and general disillusionment among constituents.
More comprehensive turnout data is expected to be released by the EC in the coming hours, but early indicators suggest that the rerun failed to inspire significant public participation, casting a shadow over the legitimacy and impact of the final results.
As voting has ended, electoral officials have began sorting.
Officials are however not allowing the media any close to the collation points were the counting and sorting is happening.
By Ruth Sekyi
