Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, NDC’s Deputy Director of Elections and IT, announced that the nationwide demonstration on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, will be held simultaneously in all 16 regions.
Dr. Tanko-Computer revealed that the main protest will take place in Accra, starting from Obra Spot and culminating at the Parliament House, where the party will submit its petition to the Speaker of Parliament.
According to him, following the presentation at Parliament, the NDC will proceed to the Electoral Commission’s headquarters to submit a separate petition demanding an audit of the voter register.
“It is certain that this Electoral Commission cannot be trusted. They [the EC] are on the path to damaging our democracy and we [the NDC] will not allow that. Enough is enough that is why we are going on the Safe the Country’s democracy [demonstration]”.
“We don’t expect any violent traits tomorrow. Since the incept of this Nana Addo-led administration with all their violent posture as a government, we [NDC] have demonstrated severally that we are not known for that”.
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
Dr. Tanko-Computer emphasized that the NDC’s previous demonstrations under the current Nana Addo administration have been consistently peaceful, with no incidents of violence.
He reassured Ghanaians that Tuesday’s demonstration will maintain this peaceful record, as the NDC is committed to ensuring a calm and orderly protest.
The NDC clarified that its objective is not to intimidate or attack the Electoral Commission but rather to hold it accountable for allegedly succumbing to manipulation by the Flagstaff House.
Dr. Tanko-Computer stressed that the Electoral Commission has a constitutional mandate to remain impartial and independent, unaffected by any institutional, organizational, or individual influence.
“That’s what we want the whole world to see that they [EC] are deliberately incompetent. It is not that they are not competent because some of the things they doing plainly beat our imagination”.
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
EC Accused Of Manipulating Voter Register
Furthermore, Dr. Rashid Tanko alleged that the Electoral Commission’s actions suggest a deliberate attempt to manipulate the voter register, potentially rigging the elections in favor of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Dr. Tanko-Computer reaffirmed the NDC’s dedication to defending Ghana’s democratic principles and ensuring that citizens’ rights are preserved, despite the Electoral Commission’s controversial posture.
He emphasized that the NDC’s petitions to Parliament and the Electoral Commission will demand a comprehensive forensic audit of the voter register, followed by a re-exhibition of the audited register.
“Because you can’t correct the register without exhibiting it so that people will get to know that now we have a correct version of the register. We don’t correct a register and keep it in a cardboard and expect that everybody should accept that it is a corrected version”.
“These are the demands we are looking at as well as an audit of their [EC’s]IT system. The IT system of the Electoral Commission needs auditing because that is where all this nonsense is coming from”.
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
Regarding the EC’s request for the NDC to come to the negotiation table, the NDC stalwart revealed the EC’s claims has not formally invited the NDC to the negotiation table, as no official written communication has been received.
Dr. Tanko-Computer stressed that a genuine EC invitation to resume negotiations must be conveyed formally and directly to the NDC, bypassing media announcements.
Dr. Tanko-Computer added that the EC’s approach of publicly disparaging the NDC during a press conference and then expecting the party to engage in negotiations is unacceptable.
“When we wanted to talk to you, we wrote to you so they should put it on paper”. – Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer
He appealed to the public to swell the ranks of the demonstration, to demonstrate widespread support for the audit demand, and encourage the EC to respond positively.
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