A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team, Hamza S. Suhuyini, has strongly criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, labelling the institution a “crime scene” and accusing it of being complicit in the illegal transfer of voters.
His accusations are in response to ongoing concerns raised by the NDC regarding anomalies in the voter registration process and the integrity of the voters’ register ahead of the December 2024 elections.
In a statement issued on the matter, Hamza Suhuyini highlighted five key issues flagged by the NDC, with the most alarming being the alleged illegal transfer of voters without their knowledge or consent.
“The NDC referenced the Pusiga case and demanded a forensic audit of the register. It is believed that the EC in conjunction with the NPP illegally transferred voters within NDC-led constituencies in some cases outside their regions without the knowledge of these voters”.
Hamza S. Suhuyini, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team
This practice, Hamza Suhuyini, contended, would result in disenfranchisement on Election Day, as affected voters would arrive at their usual polling stations only to be told that they are no longer registered there.
“The EC just confirmed that their system couldn’t detect such transfers,” Hamza Suhuyini stated, pointing out that the commission had introduced a “liveliness test” to prevent future illegal transfers but had not implemented any measures to address past occurrences.
This admission by the EC, according to Hamza Suhuyini, raises grave concerns about the integrity of the entire electoral process.
EC’s Response and NDC’s Demand for a Forensic Audit
Moreover, Hamza S. Suhuyini pointed out that the EC’s acknowledgement that it is only now working on a system to examine the voter register for illegal transfers has done little to quell the NDC’s concerns.
He questioned the commission’s credibility, particularly in its ability to investigate itself, and expressed disbelief that the EC, after having facilitated the transfers, could not be trusted to now say that no other such transfers had occurred in other regions.
“What nonsense!” Suhuyini exclaimed, calling for an independent forensic audit to be conducted, asserting that the only credible way of resolving this is through an independent audit of such transfers.
Hamza Suhuyini’s statement further illustrated the potential magnitude of the issue by offering an estimate of how widespread the illegal transfers might be.
He calculated that if approximately 15 people were illegally transferred in each of the country’s 18,000 polling stations, around 270,000 voters could have been affected and subsequently disenfranchised.
Uncertainty over Corrupted Voter Files
Additionally, Hamza Suhuyini pointed out that another major concern raised by the NDC, which the EC has admitted to, is the corruption of voter files. He criticized the EC for its inability to provide clarity on the extent of the problem.
According to him, the NDC, after conducting its own review, had alleged that 1,875 voter files had been corrupted, however, the EC has neither confirmed nor denied this figure, citing its inability to ascertain how many files were affected.
“Funny!!! If the NDC is able to put out figures after diligent examination of the figures, shouldn’t it be easier for the EC that has the entire data to tell us how many were corrupted in their system? How can you describe this as a robust and credible register when you don’t even have basic data about discrepancies in the register?”
Hamza S. Suhuyini, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team
Hamza Suhuyini concluded his statement with a stark warning, asserting that the fight over the integrity of Ghana’s voter register has only just begun.
His strong words reflect the NDC’s determination to push back against what it perceives as a deliberate attempt by the EC and the NPP to rig the upcoming election.
“This fight has not even started!” Hamza Suhuyini declared, signalling the NDC’s resolve to continue challenging the credibility of the voters’ register and the EC’s handling of the electoral process.
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