The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Honorable Fifi Fiavi Kwetey has accused the Electoral Commission of Ghana of undermining the country’s democratic governance through its unilateral decisions.
In a scathing critique, the opposition party’s National Officer fiercely condemned the Electoral Commission’s (EC) recent directive to prohibit political party agents from observing the ongoing voter transfer process.
“The Electoral Commission’s directive to bar political party agents from the ongoing voter transfer process is not only absurd and regressive but starkly contravenes the spirit of transparency and accountability.
“The NDC vehemently opposes this decision, which we believe is a covert attempt at gerrymandering, tailored to benefit the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP)”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, NDC General Secretary
Mr Kwetey further recounted that the Electoral Commission’s recent directive reverses a previously agreed-upon arrangement established at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on May 29, 2024, adding that it is baffling that the EC would later unilaterally reverse its decision without any consultation whatsoever with the parties involved.
He emphasized that the original agreement was collectively designed to ensure the integrity and transparency of the voter transfer process, a critical component of maintaining a fair electoral system.
EC Undermining IPAC’s Consensus Framework
Furthermore, the former Member of Parliament for Ketu South Constituency in the Volta Region asserted that the Electoral Commission’s sudden change of stance undermines the consensus-building framework that the Inter-Party Advisory Committee was established to facilitate.
Mr Kwetey further posited that the unilateral action by the Electoral Commission casts serious doubts on its commitment to conducting a fair and transparent electoral process, stressing that such actions not only damage the trust between the EC and political parties but also endanger the very pillars of democracy in Ghana.
Commenting on the recent disturbances that happened in Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Constituency, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress argued that while the incident is regrettable, it should not be used as a pretext to undermine the transparency of the voter transfer process across the country.
He argued that a more rational approach that involve targeting specific trouble areas with increased security or more stringent procedural oversight should have been adopted by the Electoral Commission, rather than imposing a blanket ban that exacerbates distrust and escalates tensions.
Mr Kwetey also posited that the Electoral Commission’s independence does not absolve it of the responsibility to engage constructively with political parties.
He thus called for an immediate retraction of the directive, describing it as a misguided decision that must be corrected to restore faith in the electoral process.
“It is disgraceful and unacceptable that the EC failed to reverse the shambolic decision at yesterday’s emergency IPAC meeting. The very pillars of our democracy are under threat, and the EC is recklessly endangering the stability of our electoral process.
“They are not just playing with fire; they are stoking the flames that could plunge this nation into chaos”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, NDC General Secretary
In a fervent declaration of the opposition National Democratic Congress’s unwavering commitment to monitoring the voter transfer process vigilantly, Mr Kwetey assured that the party would not shy away from taking all necessary actions to ensure the electoral process remains fair and transparent.
He emphasized that the National Democratic Congress remains resolute in opposing any manipulative practices, such as gerrymandering, that could skew the outcome of the upcoming general elections.
Mr Kwetey also stressed that even though, the opposition party appear to stand alone in its protest against the decision of the Electoral Commission, the party will neither falter nor rest, underscoring the party’s steadfast commitment to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections on December 7th general elections.
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