Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman of Operations at the Electoral Commission (EC), has categorically declared that the Electoral Commission of Ghana is incapable of manipulating election outcomes in favor of any political party or candidate, ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
He emphasized that the electoral process is highly transparent and inclusive, involving all relevant stakeholders, especially political parties, at every stage, making it virtually impossible for the Commission to manipulate the outcome in favor of any particular candidate or party.
He further emphasized that elections are ultimately won or lost at the polling stations, not at the Electoral Commission’s headquarters.
As such, he urged political parties to prioritize training their polling agents to diligently monitor the process and ensure a credible outcome of the 2024 general polls.
“Parties should train their agents well to observe the process and not blame the EC for the outcome of the elections”. – Samuel Tettey
According to him, all political parties must establish robust mechanisms to comprehensively collate results from every polling station, thereby ensuring the accurate tabulation of final results for both presidential and parliamentary elections.
Furthermore, he reaffirmed that the Electoral Commission has instituted a rigorous and transparent process for gathering and consolidating election results from all 38,622 polling stations nationwide, ensuring a thorough and accurate tally of votes cast across the country.
“All political parties have their agents at each collation center in addition to the presence of observer groups. If a political party has participated in all the processes and been able to collate results from all the 38,622 polling stations, their results should be the final results that the Electoral Commission will eventually declare”.
Samuel Tettey
He reiterated that the electoral process is thoroughly secure and tamper-proof, with no vulnerabilities or loopholes that could enable the Commission to manipulate the outcome in favor of any political party or candidate, ensuring a free, fair, and credible election
EC Denies NDC’s Allegations
The Electoral Commission categorically dismissed allegations made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that it is conspiring to manipulate the 2024 General Elections in favor of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP), reaffirming its commitment to neutrality and the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections.
The NDC, while criticizing President Akufo-Addo for his remarks suggesting he would not cede power to someone he had previously defeated, accused him of being emboldened by the EC’s perceived bias and complicity, which they believed had bolstered his confidence to make such statements.
Accordingly, the NDC issued a stern warning to the EC, cautioning it against manipulating the electoral process or rigging the elections in favor of the NPP, and emphasizing the need for a free, fair, and credible poll.
Accordingly, the NDC admonished the EC to draw a crucial lesson from the controversy surrounding the 2020 Presidential election results, which were tainted by a series of corrections and revisions after the initial declaration, and to take concrete steps to restore trust and integrity in the electoral process.
However, the Deputy Commissioner maintained that the Commission cannot be held accountable for the outcome of electoral results, emphasizing that political parties must take responsibility for adequately training their agents to vigilantly observe the polls on December 7th, ensuring a transparent and credible electoral process.
Furthermore, he urged Ghanaians to have confidence in the Electoral Commission, assuring them that the Commission is a trustworthy and integrity-bound institution that will act in the best interests of the nation and ensure a free, fair, and credible electoral process during the upcoming general polls.
As such, the Electoral Commission’s assurances and the political parties’ vigilance are crucial in ensuring a credible and peaceful electoral process, which is essential for Ghana’s democracy and stability.
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