The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has issued an advisory urging media houses to refrain from announcing election results before the Electoral Commission (EC) during the upcoming 2024 General Elections. This advisory was emphasized during the launch of Citi FM and Channel One TV’s 2024 General Elections Coverage in Accra on Tuesday. CODEO highlighted the critical importance of upholding the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.
Albert Arhin, National Coordinator of CODEO, emphasized that premature announcements by media outlets could potentially lead to confusion and unrest among voters. He also underscored that while CODEO may have access to results before the official declaration, it adheres to proper protocol by refraining from making any premature announcements.
Arhin stressed the crucial role of the media in the democratic process but emphasized the necessity for media outlets to await the official results from the EC before disseminating any information. He reiterated that only the EC is authorized to declare official election results, and any deviation from this protocol could undermine public trust in the electoral system.
Mr. Arhin further emphasized, "It is not necessary. Let the EC come out to declare the results. Let me tell you, CODEO normally gets the results about two days before the EC comes out, but we never tell anybody. Through the PVT, we’re able to know who has won the election but we swear and we keep it to ourselves."
-source citinewsroom | curated by Tetteh Belinda | Mydailyreports24
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