The 2012 Presidential Election

Irregularities Arising By: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

The 2012 Presidential Election

The Biometric Voters Register Between November 12, 2012 and December 7th 2012, the voters register inexplicably increased from 14,031,680 to 14,158,890 per the results declared by the Electoral Commissioner, a difference of 127,210. At the same time, the announced results for the parliamentary and presidential elections indicated that total registered voters for the parliamentary and presidential election were not the same. The EC reported total registered voters for the parliamentary election as 14,031,642 and 14,158,890 for the presidential election, a difference of 127,248. The announced election results suggest that the 127,210 was solely for the presidential results. You cannot have two registers for the same election.

The 2012 Presidential Election

The development, regarding the voters register as well as the reports of irregularities from our party agents in various polling stations, initiated a process of painstaking, methodical and deliberate investigation into the 2012 election. A team was assembled and, notwithstanding challenges including a police raid, they have done an excellent job.

Irregularities in the 2012 Presidential Election

The evidence uncovered shows massive and pervasive irregularities in the Dec. 2012 elections. These irregularities tended to invariably favour the NDC presidential candidate, President John Mahama. The evidence also shows that the irregularities were substantial enough to affect the outcome of the presidential election. The irregularities were largely uncovered at the polling station level.

Irregularities in the 2012 Presidential Election

The key to unraveling the evidence was to follow the documentation available at the polling station level. The foundation document for the election in this regard is the Polling Station Pink Sheet. - Form E21B/22B. This document contained a treasure trove of information. Some 24,000 Pink Sheets have been analyzed so far.

What are Red Sheets?

The Polling Station Pink Sheet

There is a pink sheet for every polling station. Each pink sheet is supposed to have a unique serial number. Each polling station is supposed to have a unique polling station code. Each form has to be signed by the presiding officer -- the representative of the Chairman of Electoral Commission, the returning officer.

The Polling Station Pink Sheet

The Pink Sheet, interestingly, also has a section to indicate voting without biometric identification at the polling station. The Pink Sheet also indicates the total number of ballots issued to voters at the polling station.

The Polling Station Pink Sheet

A close examination of the Pink Sheet, therefore, reveals the following irregularities:
Over voting when the votes in the ballot box exceed the ballots issued to voters Voting without biometric verification No signature by presiding officer Duplicate serial numbers Words and figures mismatch

1
Different Polling Station Code

Same Serial Number

Ballot Issued:

277

Total Votes :

291

Ballot issued without verification:

614!! Why?

Ballot issued without verification:

614!! Why?

IRREGULARITIES IN 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BY CATEGORY

CATEGORY
OVER VOTE DUE TO TOTAL VOTE EXCEEDING BALLOT PAPERS ISSUED TO VOTERS VOTING WITHOUT BIOMETRIC VERIFICATION SAME SERIAL NUMBERS FOR DIFFERENT POLLING STATIONS MISSING PRESIDING OFFICER'S SIGNATURE ON RED SHEET WORDS AND FIGURES DO NOT MATCH

VOTES
620,443.00 456,933.00 50,278.00 208,523.00 3,841.00

TOTAL

1,340,018.00

What Does The Evidence Show?

The irregularities led to 1,340,018 votes being wrongly counted as part of the result of the 2012 presidential election. These votes were largely to the benefit of the NDC presidential candidate. These 1.34 million votes, identified as wrongly counted, are supported by Pink Sheets from each of the affected polling stations. Adjusting the EC announced results to take account of these illegally counted votes will mean that Nana Akufo-Addo should have been declared president. This is the heart of our case to the Supreme Court. Analysis and gathering of the evidence continue and the 1.34 million figure is likely to increase Similar irregularities also affected the parliamentary elections and therefore several challenges to Parliamentary election results are also in the pipeline.