The Deputy Director of IT and Elections for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yayra Koku, has strongly criticized Samuel Tetteh, a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, following his recent remarks during a press conference.
In a scathing critique, Yayra Koku accused Mr Tetteh of dishonesty and incompetence, drawing parallels between his conduct and that of Madam Jean Mensah, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, and Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairperson of the EC.
He expressed disappointment in what he described as an “empty” press conference, where the Electoral Commission Commissioner avoided answering questions from the media.
“Dear Mr Samuel Tetteh of the Electoral Commission Ghana. I hope you slept well after your empty press conference yesterday without questions from the media. What were you afraid of?”
Yayra Koku, Deputy Director of IT and Elections of the NDC
This, according to Koku, eroded the respect he once had for the Commissioner. The NDC official pointed out what he considers to be the Electoral Commission’s mishandling of critical data during its internal processes.
He referenced a specific incident where the Electoral Commission failed to clear data used during training exercises, leading to discrepancies in the voter registration system, which included incorrect classifications of voters as “plants and animals.”
Mr Koku suggested that these errors were entirely due to the Electoral Commission’s negligence and lack of professionalism.
“You are well aware that the problem with plants and animals was caused by your own (EC) negligence, as you were unable to clear the data after using it for training purposes. By the way, were you not at the commission at the time? Is it not proof that you are an ineffective person? And you allowed Jean and Bossman to mislead an elderly man like you. Once again, shame”.
Yayra Koku, Deputy Director of IT and Elections of the NDC
Submission of Data to the Electoral Commission
Yayra Koku also challenged Mr Tetteh’s assertions that the National Democratic Congress had not submitted its concerns about the discrepancies to the Commission.
He revealed that the party had handed over a “1TB hard drive” with its data to the Electoral Commission. He questioned why Mr Tetteh failed to mention this in his address to the media, further accusing the Commission of withholding the promised corrected data.
“Why didn’t you tell the media that you have also not given us the data as promised?” Mr Koku asked.
Flaws in EC’s Voter Transfer System
Additionally, the Deputy Director of IT and Elections for the opposition National Democratic Congress’s statement touched on an alleged flaw in the Electoral Commission’s voter transfer system.
He pointed out that the alleged flaw was admitted by the Electoral Commission’s own IT consultant, Dr Ofori.
According to Yayra Koku, this flaw allowed Electoral Commission officers to transfer voters without their consent, an issue he noted the NDC detected and drew the Commission’s attention.
He emphasized that the National Democratic Congress’s push for a forensic audit was a necessary step to ensure transparency and fairness in the voter registration process.
“A forensic audit is the only way out. What do you have to hide? If you have a clear mind and have nothing to hide, accept the forensic audit,” Yayra Koku demanded.
Concluding his statement, Yayra Koku, the Deputy Director of IT and Elections for the opposition National Democratic Congress called on the Electoral Commission to return the NDC’s 1TB hard drive with the corrected data.
He warned that the party would continue to hold the Commission accountable, saying “Return it with the corrected data you claim to have done, and you will hear from us again” .
His critique underscores the mounting tensions between the opposition NDC and the Electoral Commission, as the country prepares for the upcoming 2024 general elections.
The NDC has long raised concerns about the EC’s handling of voter data and the credibility of the electoral process, with calls for greater transparency and accountability growing louder as the elections approach.
This latest exchange highlights the deep mistrust between the two institutions, with both parties poised for a protracted battle over electoral integrity in the coming months.
The NDC’s insistence on a forensic audit has become a critical issue, particularly due to the EC resistance to the request.
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