Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has revealed that the party’s delay in reporting the alleged printing of extra one million ballot papers by Inno-Link Printing Press to the police, does not alter the fact that the act is a crime.
According to him, the Police had knowledge of the printing of additional extra papers by Inno-Link. Mr Afriyie Ankrah explained that the police officers were present at the scene and supervised the burning of the ballot papers.
The NDC’s Director of Elections further noted that the party has not delayed in reporting the matter to the police.
“In any case… whether it is 10 months or one year, have you asked the EC why they also took 10 months to respond? Because, these issues were in the public domain….the police supervised the burning together with the National Investigation Bureau. So it is a matter within their domain already for which they should have been acting. Whether it is 10 months or two years, is there a statue on the limitation when it comes to a crime? Does that change the facts?”
Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah
Police urged to be proactive in dealing with EC matters
Following this, Mr Ankrah revealed that the NDC would file a complaint to that effect, immediately. He explained that the party is expectant that individuals found culpable in the alleged vote rigging attempt would be made to face the full rigours of the law.
The NDC’s Director of Elections urged the IGP to direct some attention towards the eight deaths that were recorded during the 2020 elections.
“If the IGP is showing commitment and is being proactive, by arresting people brandishing guns which is a misdemeanour, for which he is being commended, these are also matters in the public domain. Even beyond printing of ballot papers, eight innocent Ghanaians have been murdered. These are all matters of the public record and the police should be interested. So, if they have forgotten, we will take the steps to remind them”.
Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah
Earlier, Electoral Commission (EC) demanded the Ghana Police Service to investigate claims by former President John Mahama that there was over voting in the 2020 general elections.
Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Corporate Affairs, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare, on Monday, October 25, 2021 disputed the claim and appealed to the police to immediately investigate it.
Dr. Bossman revealed that the alleged comment of John Mahama undermines the credibility of elections in the country, hence the need for the claim to be looked into.
Following their meeting, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, in an interview also announced that the party will report the printing of the extra ballot papers for use in the Ashanti region, by Inno-Link Printing Press, to the police for investigation.
He alleged that the act of printing extra ballot papers on the part of Inno-link is a grievous offence and added that the NDC believes that the EC was complicit in the act.
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