The Electoral Commission (EC) has scheduled a rerun of the Council of State elections in the North East and Ashanti Regions for Monday, February 17, following disruptions that prevented the completion of the process.

In the North East Region, the rerun has been necessitated by a tie between the top two candidates, both of whom secured six votes each, making it impossible to declare a winner.

Meanwhile, in the Ashanti Region, electoral proceedings were abruptly halted after a violent disturbance. A group of individuals stormed the voting center, overturning tables, destroying ballot boxes, and scattering election materials. The chaos forced Electoral Commission officials to suspend the process.

The disruption is believed to have been sparked by the unexpected loss of Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, who was widely considered the frontrunner. His agitated supporters allegedly instigated the unrest, demanding a reassessment of the results.

Despite a strong police presence, security personnel struggled to restore order, prompting the Commission to call for additional reinforcements. In response, the Commission has formally requested the Ghana Police Service and the National Election Security Taskforce to strengthen security measures at the rerun venues.

In the wake of the disturbances, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Frank Abrokwa, has been relieved of his duties.