Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the opposition NDC, has announced that the party will contest all 276 parliamentary seats in the 2024 elections.
Dr. Tanko-Computer expressed confidence in the NDC’s readiness for the December polls, asserting that victory is within reach based on his observations on the ground.
He declared that the NDC has a strong grip on the Western region, predicting a 54% win in the December elections.
The NDC stalwart expressed disappointment with the NDC’s meeting with the Electoral Commission on September 6, 2024, characterizing it as underwhelming and falling short of expectations.
“On Friday when we met the Electoral Commission, we told them the five thematic crises that are bedeviling the register and we made them understand that this register…cannot be used for a purpose. We demonstrated it”.
“Clearly, nobody needs to tell you that the register is not credible. How can you take 2020 transfers which happened in 2023 and add them to the current register by bloating the register? 243,000 of that. Who will accept this?”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
Dr. Tanko-Computer expressed distrust in the current Electoral Commission, citing clear evidence of its unreliability.
He argued that the Commission’s repeated errors, such as those made during the Voter Registration Exercise, erode trust in its ability to conduct fair elections.
The NDC supporter criticized the Electoral Commission for failing to release the total number of registered voters, despite the NDC’s corrections and requests for the information.
Dr. Tanko-Computer revealed that the Electoral Commission has been stalling, asking the NDC to be patient while it works on compiling the voter registration figures, which he sees as an unacceptable excuse.
“How can I allow such people who have messed up the register to be the people who are going to clean the register”. – Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
Afari-Gyan’s EC Pioneered Transparency In Voter Register Audit
Furthermore, Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer noted that in 2012, the Electoral Commission, then led by Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, agreed to conduct a forensic audit of the voter register at the request of the NPP, setting a precedent for transparency.
Dr. Tanko-Computer emphasized that the EC’s acceptance of the NDC’s audit request is crucial, especially given the evidence of register flaws, and consistent with their 2012 precedent.
He urged the EC to seek support from Ghana’s development partners to conduct a transparent audit, guaranteeing equal opportunities for all parties in the forthcoming elections.
“They [the EC] themselves have admitted that the register is sick. They told me that they are working around the clock to clean the mess they have created themselves. We are saying that you created the mess [and] allowing you to clean it is not the best option”.
“Let’s bring an external body to help you clean it so that when we are beating NPP, we know that we are beating and beating them well”.
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
Meanwhile, Kofi Tonto of the NPP acknowledged that the NDC has the right to raise concerns and express grievances, as provided by law, in response to their call for an audit of the voter register.
Tonto emphasized that as long as the NDC presents its concerns in a constructive manner, with sincere intentions and a genuine desire for a successful electoral outcome, their actions are justified and harmless.
“We as the NPP had cause to complain in some instances. I recall at a time I raised issues when they were doing the initial registration and they [EC] said they were only going to open up in the district capitals”.
Kofi Tonto
However, Tonto expressed concern that the NDC’s demeanor while making demands is not only worrying but also disturbing, suggesting a potentially unconstructive approach.
He encouraged the NDC to learn from history and express their concerns in a clear, concise, and civil way, promoting a more productive dialogue.
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