On February 25, 2023, shortly after voting, Peter Obi the presidential candidate of the Labour Party granted a virtual interview on Arise TV.
While making a remark on the report that some of the ballot papers in some parts of the country do not have his party logo or acronym, he said “well, we expected the ballot paper to show clearly, the LP sign is not there, and somebody had told me that in some states, the logo is completely missing”.
“Well, I am worried. I don’t know why it should be. I think now, we should have been going the way other small nations of Africa is doing, Like Ghana where they don’t only have the names they have their picture boldly written and the party,” he said.
“After all the number of people contesting in the election is only 18 of us, they should have added our picture. But I am not complaining, it is a process.”
Claim: Peter Obi said some states have no party logo and acronym. He also said Ghana attaches candidates’ pictures to the ballot paper.
Verification
Claim I
In the Kogi West Senatorial district, the Labour party was not represented on the ballot paper for the constituency’s senatorial election. That is, the logo and the acronym were not on the ballot paper.
Similarly, in Ondo state, the LP state secretary, Abiodun Agbaje said “the party’s logo was missing in Owo/ Ose Federal Constituency, Akoko South West/ East, Akure North/South, Akiko North-East/ West, Ilaje/Ese-Odo, Okitipupa/ lrele, Ondo East/ West.
Furthermore, the Labour party logo was missing in the Ondo Central Senatorial district area of the state.
Claim II
In June 2020, Ghana conducted its presidential election. In the election, the ballot papers had the pictures, logos, and acronyms of all political parties that presented candidates for the election.
This has been the case in the country as early as 1996 when ballot papers were made in white and black prints.
Verdict
The claim that some states had no Labour party represented on their ballot papers is true. The second claim that Ghana uses pictures, logos, and acronyms on its ballot papers is also true.
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