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The Electoral Commission has urged the general public to disregard the alleged falsehood and misinformation being perpetuated by the President of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe over the inability of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu,Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) all in the Guan Constituency of the Oti Region to take part in the 2020 Parliamentary Elections.

The Electoral Commission has acknowledged receipt of a video circulating on social media in which the President of IMANI Ghana is seen accusing the Electoral Commission of deliberately disenfranchising the people of SALL in the Guan constituency of the Oti region.

In a press release dated 15th May, 2024, the Electoral Commission stated that the accusations leveled against the commission by the President of IMANI Ghana is false and without basis.

According to the commission, there was never the case where the commission disenfranchised the people of the newly created Guan Constituency.

The Electoral Commission posited that, it is not in the interest of the Commission to disenfranchise the people of SALL.

The commission outlined a number of factors that contributed to the inability of SALL to participate in the December 2020 elections although it was their legitimate right to exercise their franchise.

“The legislative Instrument (L.I. 2416) which created the Guan district (SALL) was laid in the Parliament on the 6th of October, 2020 by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD). It matured on the 9th of November, 2020, roughly a month to the 2020 General elections,” it stated.

It added that, Parliament recessed on the 9th of November, 2020, the same day the L.I. creating the Guan District matured and returned on the 14th of December, 2020, a week after the elections were conducted.

According to the Commission’s press release, signed by the Acting Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Boadu, on the 10th of November 2020, the Electoral Commission claimed to have received a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural development informing it of the creation of the Guan District (SALL).

The letter, according to the commission, informed the EC to create a new Constituency in the Guan District.

“The commission drafted a new Constitutional Instrument to bring into force the Guan Constituency  and forwarded the draft (C.I) to the Attorney General’s department for its review on the 13th of November, 2020, as required by law,” the Commission stated.

According to the Electoral Commission, the C.I., as stated by law, requires the commission to lay the drafted C.I. in Parliament for twenty-one (sitting) days. This means, Parliament should be in session for these number of days when the C.I is laid before the House.

“How can any well-meaning person accuse the Commission of disenfranchising the good people of SALL when the facts are so clear?"

“It is unfortunate that IMANI continues to peddle falsehood and untruths about the Commission at every point and turn. His narrative that the Commission disenfranchised the people of SALL, now the Guan Constituency, is FALSE,” the commission blasted.

The commission urged the public to be quick to ascertain the truth in any information they hear and avoid the habit of consuming any information that is given them.