Former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku and prominent member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has alleged that the Electoral Commission (EC) is operating under “serious coercion,” raising concerns about the Commission’s independence and the integrity of its recent decisions.Speaking to Channel One News at the Ablekuma North constituency, where a parliamentary rerun is being held across 19 polling stations, Dr. Okoe Boye questioned the EC’s apparent reversal of its earlier position that a rerun was unnecessary.“The EC itself said that they did not need to do a rerun, and we also said they shouldn’t do a rerun. Today, they have changed their position,” he said.Drawing an analogy to highlight the possible pressures facing the EC, Dr. Okoe Boye remarked, “If you have a brother who promised he wouldn’t smoke, and you later find him smoking, it’s not enough to call him a hypocrite. What if a gun was put to his head? You have to ask what happened.”According to him, while public discourse has focused on the EC’s perceived inconsistency, little attention has been paid to the possible forces influencing its decisions.“This EC is under serious coercion, and because the NPP is not in the good books of the public, everybody is quiet,” he claimed. “How can you have the chairman of a party deciding which heads of institutions must be sacked, saying, ‘The EC head must go’? A lot of pressure has been brought to bear on the EC.”Dr. Okoe Boye stressed that although the issue has not received widespread attention, it poses a serious threat to democratic processes and must be revisited in due course.“Over time, we need to look at it,” he stated.On a more personal note, the former legislator expressed empathy for Nana Akua Afriyie, the NPP’s candidate in the rerun, acknowledging the emotional toll the situation has taken on her.“I am in a difficult position because of the party’s stance, but this is a lady I know very well. As a physician, I know she is going through a lot mentally, and she deserves some support and attention,” he said.The rerun in Ablekuma North was triggered by unresolved disputes over the December 2024 parliamentary election results, which left the constituency without parliamentary representation. Both the NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have laid claim to victory, making the outcome of the rerun critical for the constituency.