The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hon. Fifi Fiafvi Kwetey has expressed his confidence in the ability of Ghanaians to make informed decisions in the December 7 elections.
With only four days left, Hon. Fifi Kwetey projected calmness, optimism, and unwavering faith in the judgment of the Ghanaian electorate despite skepticism from some quarters.
Reflecting on historical election outcomes, he noted;
“I think the people of Ghana are very discerning. I think they know, [and] they feel the country. They know when there’s a need for leadership change. And they’ve consistently done that. They have done that in 2000. It was pretty obvious in 2000, 2008, and even 2016, even though in the NDC, we wished that was not the case. Anybody discerning knew that change was in the air.”
Hon. Fifi Fiafvi Kwetey General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Hon. Fifi Kwetey went further to assert that the current political climate suggests an even stronger desire for change compared to previous election years.
However, he cautioned against equating the uneventful nature of special voting to the likely outcome on December 7.
“The reports that we have monitored and which also have been confirmed by our own agents and our executives in the various places where it happened, show by and large that the exercise went on smoothly. Devoid of anything you could say would amount to violence or anything that you would say amount to flagrant abuse of the process- But I would not say just because the special voting has largely gone uneventfully, it just shows that it’s going to be the same on the D-Day. Because on the D-Day, it’s a lot more. People become much more desperate.
We, as a main opposition party, do not trust [the EC] one bit- as far as we are concerned, this EC by its very composition and by what it is that we have seen over the period would very much want to do everything possible to make the ruling NPP remain in power.”
Hon. Fifi Fiafvi Kwetey General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Hon Fifi Kwetey elaborated on specific instances where the EC allegedly failed to exhibit impartiality. He emphasized;
“We told them that no political party should be allowed to take a look into the box where the various balls were placed.
They still allowed the NPP to flagrantly abuse that process. When everyone was there who did not, I mean the EC did not do anything about that. That doesn’t show that you are strong enough to tell the ruling party that wants to abuse, ‘you cannot have your way.’”
Hon. Fifi Fiafvi Kwetey General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
International Endorsement and the Path Forward
Despite the mistrust, he acknowledged some improvements in the EC’s conduct and the openness of platforms such as the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
Meanwhile, in a recent interaction with the UN’s Special Representative for the Sahel and West, the UN, said they are happy with the transparency that the Electoral Commission is bringing to the process and that the [EC] is listening to concerns, opening their doors, and having a dialogue.
However, Hon. Fifi Kwetey maintained that the EC’s prior actions have created a cloud of suspicion that cannot be easily dispelled.
He urged all stakeholders, including the opposition, civil society, and international observers, to monitor the process closely. According to him, the stakes are high, and any lapses could undermine the integrity of the elections. He charged;
“We are going into this with absolute eagle eyes – everyone is watching every move with eagle eyes. Unfortunately, the EC has placed themselves in a situation where the whole world is watching them.”
Hon. Fifi Fiafvi Kwetey General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Hon. Fifi Kwetey’s remarks captured the NDC’s cautious optimism heading into the 2024 elections.
While he acknowledged improvements in the electoral process and the role of international scrutiny, his party’s mistrust of the EC remains a significant concern.
The opposition’s confidence, however, lies in their belief that the Ghanaian people are discerning and ready for a leadership change.
This faith, combined with vigilance, underscores the NDC’s approach to the final days before the December 7 polls.
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