In a significant development in the Dome Kwabenya constituency saga, the collation of the missing pieces of results from the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2 polling station has been completed. Despite the earlier controversies and calls for a rerun, Elikplim Akurugu of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has retained her position as the winner.
Details of the Collation
The collation process was necessitated by discrepancies in three polling stations, with the results from one—Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2—having been entirely excluded. Following the collation of these missing figures, the Electoral Commission (EC) determined that Elikplim Akurugu still held the majority votes required to win the parliamentary seat, even factoring in the votes from the isolated polling station.
This announcement reaffirms Akurugu’s status as the winner of the Dome Kwabenya parliamentary contest and has put to rest weeks of heated debates surrounding the constituency’s results.
Implications of the Outcome
1. Validation of Electoral Process
The final collation underscores the importance of adhering to due process in electoral disputes. While the earlier calls for a rerun were based on alleged irregularities and missing results, the collation has shown that the outcome would have remained consistent even if the missing pieces were included earlier. 
2. A Blow to the NPP’s Challenges
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), whose candidate Mike Oquaye Jnr. was the runner-up, had been pushing for a rerun, citing concerns over irregularities. However, this result is a setback to their efforts and could signal the end of their contestation of the results, barring a legal challenge.
3. Strengthening the EC’s Credibility
The EC’s ability to finalize the results through collation rather than resorting to a rerun may help restore public confidence in its processes. However, the earlier administrative lapses remain a stain on the institution’s operational efficiency and record-keeping.
What Happens Next?
While the announcement of Elikplim Akurugu’s victory is a significant milestone, the possibility of further challenges cannot be ruled out. The NPP might still pursue legal avenues to contest the results, particularly if they believe the collation process lacked transparency or fairness.
For now, the focus will likely shift to the swearing-in of Members of Parliament, where Akurugu is expected to take her seat barring any successful challenge.
This resolution is a win for the NDC, which had been unwavering in its stance that the earlier declaration of Akurugu as the winner was valid. It also provides a moment for reflection on the need to address systemic flaws in Ghana’s electoral processes to avoid similar disputes in the future.
