Prof. Henry Kwesi Prempeh, the Executive Director of CDD Ghana, has strongly condemned the spread of electoral disinformation suggesting that voting for presidential candidates will occur on different days.
He called these claims a complete fabrication and urged the public to disregard them, stressing that the election will take place on a single day—December 7, 2024.
Prof. Prempeh specifically refuted the false information that voting for the first seven presidential candidates would occur on December 7, while voting for candidates numbered 8 through 13 would be held on December 8.
He stressed that such claims are entirely untrue and emphasized the importance of accurate information for a smooth and orderly election process.
“I have heard stories like this before, but they sounded more apocryphal than real at the time. It turns out people still do this in the Year of Our Lord 2024.
“But why? Why must you sink so low, and treat your non-literate compatriots with such disrespect, if you believe your side of the contest represents a better option for the people of Ghana than your rivals?”
Prof. Henry Kwesi Prempeh
Prof. Prempeh further questioned the motives behind this blatant spread of misinformation, describing it as a deliberate attempt to mislead voters and undermine the integrity of the upcoming December 7 elections.
He expressed concern over the harmful effects such disinformation could have on the electorate, warning that such tactics are designed to create confusion and potentially disrupt the democratic process.
Prof. Prempeh emphasized the need for vigilance and critical thinking among the public, urging citizens to rely only on credible sources of information to ensure the election proceeds smoothly and fairly. “Why does it have to come to this?”
According to him, such blatant and reprehensible behavior must be strongly condemned and met with appropriate consequences to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.
Ruling Party Accused of Threatening Democracy with Electoral Misinformation
Furthermore, Franklin Cudjoe, the President of IMANI Africa, responded to the issue by stating that the ruling party is posing a significant threat to the integrity of our democracy in this election.
He emphasized that such actions undermine the democratic process and could have dangerous long-term implications for the nation’s political stability.
“Apart from using the names of notable personalities to publish outright lies, they have deployed maniacs and orderly deranged adults to be miseducating voters in many parts of the country”.
Franklin Cudjoe
Franklin Cudjoe further lamented that, unfortunately, both the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) have remained silent in the face of this growing misinformation scandal.
He expressed concern that, instead of addressing the actual misinformation, the EC’s voter education advertisements are focused on refuting fabricated claims that no one has made.
Cudjoe pointed out that these adverts appear to be designed to discredit one political party, diverting attention from the real perpetrators of the disinformation campaign.
This, he argued, highlights a concerning lack of leadership and accountability in addressing the issue. “As for the NCCE,…”
Meanwhile, Shamima Muslim, a campaign communicator for the NDC, also condemned the attempt at spreading misinformation, asserting that there is only one solution to halt the country’s rapid decline.
She emphasized that the nation must take decisive action to curb this dangerous spread of falsehoods.
“Let all with good conscience step up, speak out, and mostly turn up to vote on DECEMBER 7th alone.
“Let’s end this NPP desperation and machinations with a resounding 1st round victory of the NDC”.
Shamima Muslim
Muslim further argued that allowing such disinformation to persist would not only undermine the integrity of the election but also erode public trust in democratic processes.
In her view, confronting this issue head-on is the only way to safeguard the nation’s future and restore confidence in its electoral system.
