The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has urged media houses to avoid announcing election results before the Electoral Commission (EC) during the upcoming 2024 General Elections.
This advisory was issued during the launch of Citi FM and Channel One TV’s 2024 General Elections Coverage in Accra on Tuesday. CODEO emphasized the critical importance of preserving the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.
Albert Arhin, National Coordinator of CODEO, pointed out that premature announcements by media outlets could cause confusion and unrest among voters.
He highlighted that although CODEO might have access to results before the official declaration, it refrains from making any announcements to adhere to proper protocol.
Arhin stressed the media’s vital role in the democratic process but underscored that they must wait for the official results from the EC before publishing any information.
He reiterated that only the EC is authorized to declare official election results and any deviation from this protocol could erode public trust in the electoral system.
“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,” Mr Arhin emphasised
