Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, has revealed that the party has uncovered inconsistencies between the voter registration process and the provisional voter register provided to political parties by the Electoral Commission (EC).
According to Mustapha Gbande, the provisional voter register being utilized by the Electoral Commission (EC) at exhibition centers across the country is fraught with errors, undermining the integrity of the voter registration exhibition exercise.
He appealed to the EC to facilitate an inclusive forum with all political parties, including the NDC, to transparently discuss and rectify the anomalies in the voter register.
“For the benefit of the doubt, we think that it is appropriate that the Commission would be briefed on some of the particulars of the issue before we hit the public. So that in the event that the Commission is not able to deal with it, then we can open up”.
“[This includes] some other auxiliary issues such as what happened in Tamale where people are being transferred from one constituency to the others when the people have not applied for transfer. These are very serious issues which the EC should be able to address if the IPAC meeting we requested is accepted”.
Mustapha Gbande
Gbande expressed the NDC’s expectation that these issues will be promptly addressed, lest they become major points of contention that will eventually come to light and spark public outcry.
He revealed that the NDC is yet to receive formal confirmation from the Electoral Commission (EC) regarding its willingness to convene a meeting, but he remains hopeful that the EC will promptly respond due to the gravity of the situation.
The NDC stalwart further disputed the Electoral Commission’s (EC) claim that the theft of the BVD device would not compromise the integrity of the election, insisting that the incident undermines the credibility of the electoral process.
He expressed incredulity that a sensitive device like the BVD could be left unsecured in a public area, vulnerable to theft and sale, and wondered how such a critical piece of equipment was handled so negligently.
As such, he insisted that the theft of the BVD device inevitably compromises the integrity of the data held by the EC, contradicting the Commission’s claims that the incident would have no impact on data credibility.
Gbande Warns Of Unauthorized Access To Data
Furthermore, Mustapha Gbande emphasized that Ghana’s electoral data is exposed and susceptible to unauthorized access, suggesting that it has essentially been commercialized and is readily available for purchase in the open market.
Gbande expressed alarm that the EC persists in providing assurances of data integrity, despite the glaring discrepancies that have come to light, making their claims even more unsettling.
He vehemently condemned the EC for its gross negligence, asserting that the Commission’s actions constitute a blatant disregard for the integrity of the electoral process, undermining its very credibility.
“Credibility of the exercise is key. Fundamental is the commitment of the Electoral Commission to ensure that the exercise is grounded with utmost fairness and public trust. Where is the public trust when the devices that we would use to vote are found in the marketplace and being sold?”
“These are matters that would have to be critically discussed at the IPAC with the Commission involved so that we can find a common ground to protect the data and devices that we have to further strengthen trust to have a peaceful electoral process”.
Mustapha Gbande
Gbande asserted that the Electoral Commission has devolved into an institution notorious for making empty promises, and consistently failing to deliver on its commitments, as evidenced by the stark disparity between its pledges and actual outcomes.
He expressed alarm over the EC’s actions in the run-up to the December 7th election, warning that they have the potential to spark tension and create a volatile atmosphere that could escalate into chaos.
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