Samuel Koku Anyidoho, former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to remain steadfast in its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible 2024 election, prioritizing the integrity of the electoral process above all else.
Koku Anyidoho emphasized that the Electoral Commission (EC) should remain impartial and resilient in the face of recent criticisms from various political quarters, staying focused on its mandate to ensure a transparent and credible electoral process.
He stressed that the EC, as an independent state institution, must uphold its constitutional mandate by performing its duties impartially and with resolve, resisting any attempts by political parties to unduly influence its decisions or actions.
Furthermore, Koku Anyidoho dismissed allegations of the Electoral Commission (EC) rigging the elections in favor of a particular political party, stating that such a feat is logistically impossible and that the EC’s integrity and independence make it incapable of perpetrating such fraud.
“The EC is trying its best to show that it is competent, fair, and firm. There is a trend of parties in opposition accusing the EC of bias and parties in government supporting the EC, so what the EC has to do is, to keep its focus and not be swayed by these things. It is difficult for any political party to influence the EC. The system we have in the country makes it difficult for the EC to rig an election”.
Samuel Koku Anyidoho
Moreover, Koku Anyidoho pointed out that election results are declared at the polling stations, making it impossible for the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra to manipulate or alter the figures, ensuring a transparent and tamper-proof process. “It is impossible”, he added.
Koku Anyidoho’s statements follow the NDC’s criticism of the EC regarding its directive banning political party agents from observing the vote transfer process at designated centers, a move the NDC sees as suspect and potentially compromising the election’s transparency.
Political Parties’ Distrust of EC Questioned
Meanwhile, Professor Kobby Mensah also expressed puzzlement over the stance of major political parties, who claim they will not trust the Electoral Commission (EC) for the upcoming December 2024 elections, wondering what motivates this lack of confidence in the EC’s ability to oversee a fair and credible electoral process.
“The Big political parties keep saying they won’t rely on the EC for the coming Dec 2024 elections. If the parties do not have confidence in the electoral body, why should the voters/people have confidence in it? And if the EC has proven to the parties that they can’t be relied upon, why are we still keeping the EC?”
Professor Kobby Mensah
As such, Professor Mensah suggested that if the Electoral Commission (EC) has become so distrusted by political parties that they no longer see its value in the electoral process, then perhaps it’s time to consider abolishing the EC altogether and exploring alternative mechanisms for conducting free and fair elections.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) recently alleged that the Electoral Commission (EC) is conspiring with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to manipulate electoral boundaries, a move known as gerrymandering, aimed at giving the NPP an unfair advantage in the upcoming 2024 elections, thereby compromising the electoral process’s integrity.
The NDC claimed that the NPP is aware of its impending defeat in the 2024 presidential elections, and this realization is even acknowledged privately within the NPP’s own circles, according to the NDC’s assertions.
The NDC alleged that the NPP is attempting to use gerrymandering during the ongoing voter transfer process, hoping to gain an advantage in the parliamentary elections, which the NPP mistakenly believes will also impact its fortunes in the presidential election.
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