The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has praised the Electoral Commission (EC) for its decision to make the presidential nomination forms for the 2024 elections available online.
This new development, he believed, marks a significant improvement in the electoral process, providing easier access for candidates and streamlining the nomination procedure.
Speaking on a media interview on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, Mr. Asiedu Nketia highlighted the benefits of this digital transformation, which contrasts with previous years when candidates had to physically obtain the forms from the EC’s offices.
“I want to applaud them (Electoral Commission) for putting the presidential forms online for everyone to access. This time around, they have done well,” Mr. Asiedu Nketia remarked during the interview, acknowledging the positive impact of the EC’s move towards digitalisation.
Despite his commendation, Mr. Asiedu Nketia raised concerns about the potential challenges that could arise from the timing of the EC’s release of the final voters’ register.
According to Mr. Asiedu Nketia, there is a risk that an unqualified voter might endorse a presidential candidate, which could lead to the candidate’s nomination being nullified if the provisional register, which the EC has not yet finalised, is later found to be inaccurate.
“The issue may arise because the EC failed to issue the register to the political parties on time,” Mr. Asiedu Nketia stated. He explained that until the final register is completed and verified, the validity of endorsements remains questionable, creating a situation where a candidate’s nomination might be challenged and potentially invalidated after the fact.
This concern is rooted in the electoral process’s reliance on the final voters’ register to determine the eligibility of those endorsing a candidate. The delay in finalising and distributing the register to political parties, he argued, could lead to uncertainties and disputes regarding the legitimacy of endorsements.
EC’s Clarification on Provisional Register Endorsements
In response to these concerns, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Training and IT at the Electoral Commission, provided clarification during the same program.
Dr. Quaicoe reassured the public and political stakeholders that the endorsement of a candidate by a voter whose name appears on the provisional register remains valid, even if the voter is later removed from the final register.
Dr. Quaicoe referred to the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) governing the electoral process, which clearly defines a registered voter as someone whose name is included in the provisional voters’ register.
“Regulation 50 of the C.I. says a registered voter is someone whose name is in the provisional register,” Dr. Quaicoe emphasized, noting that the endorsement of a candidate is secured as long as the voter has a valid ID number and is listed in the provisional document.
Dr. Quaicoe further explained that the process is designed to protect candidates from any repercussions stemming from changes to the voters’ register after endorsements have been made.
Thus, the EC’s stance is that the potential expungement of a voter from the final register does not retroactively affect the validity of the endorsement for the candidate in question.
The EC’s decision to digitize the nomination forms reflects broader efforts to modernize and improve the efficiency of Ghana’s electoral system. By providing online access to the forms, the Commission has removed a significant logistical barrier for presidential aspirants, allowing them to complete the necessary documentation with greater convenience.
However, the concerns raised by Mr. Asiedu Nketia underscore the ongoing challenges and complexities associated with electoral administration, particularly in the lead-up to a major national election.
The accuracy and completeness of the voters’ register remain critical issues that could impact the legitimacy of the election outcomes, making the EC’s role in maintaining and verifying the register more important than ever.
The NDC chairman’s remarks served as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and thoroughness in the electoral process, even as the country embraces technological advancements in its democratic practices.
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