The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has reaffirmed the party’s demand for a forensic audit of the voter’s register ahead of the December general elections.

The chairman clarified that the party’s primary concern is to ensure that their flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama, has a fair and level playing field during the upcoming elections.

Mr. Nketia underscored the significance of this demand, emphasizing that the party’s call for transparency is not a frivolous one.

He argued that the Electoral Commission’s (EC) request for Mahama to intervene in the NDC’s demands is unnecessary, stating that the former president is capable of recognizing discrepancies on his own.

The situation escalated after the EC admitted that some of its district officers had indeed transferred votes illegally. Although the Commission assured the public that the anomalies had been corrected and the officers involved had been penalized, the NDC has maintained its position that further scrutiny is necessary.

The party insisted that only a comprehensive forensic audit can restore its confidence in the voter’s register ahead of the December elections.

“I am sorry but they are assuming that John Mahama cannot think for himself. The election we are going into is presidential and parliamentary.
“If there is any interest to be protected there, John Mahama’s interest is greater than all of us because it is his election whose integrity we are working to maintain.”
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

For several weeks, the NDC has been vocal about what it claims are irregularities in the voter’s register. The party has raised concerns over alleged illegal transfers of votes, which it claims were done without following due legal procedures. These allegations have led to widespread calls for an independent audit of the register.

Asiedu Nketia further made it clear that the NDC’s actions are in the best interest of Mahama’s campaign and the democratic process as a whole.

NDC’s Focus on Election Transparency

Asiedu Nketia dismissed any notion that Mahama would oppose the party’s call for electoral transparency. He emphasized that the NDC is acting in the interest of their presidential candidate, ensuring that the party pushes forward with measures to guarantee a transparent and credible election.

“So unless the EC assumes that President Mahama doesn’t know what works in his interest, that’s the only reason they would be contemplating appealing to him to talk to those of us who are working to ensure that he benefits from a transparent election.”
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

He further alleged that the EC might be trying to “carry on with their rigging” by attempting to undermine the NDC’s efforts to scrutinize the electoral process. These remarks reflect the growing tensions between the NDC and the EC, particularly concerning the integrity of the voter’s register.

In response to the EC’s refusal to heed the NDC’s demands, the party has declared a nationwide demonstration scheduled for September 17. This demonstration is aimed at pressuring the EC to agree to an independent audit of the voter’s register.

“We are pleased that, at the very least, the EC has accepted there is a problem,” Asiedu Nketia said. However, he reiterated that acknowledging the problem alone is not sufficient to address the party’s concerns. According to him, the NDC will continue to push for a forensic audit to ensure that the discrepancies are thoroughly investigated and resolved.

With both parties standing firm, the tension between the NDC and the Electoral Commission underscores the high stakes of the upcoming elections and the need for a credible and transparent electoral process.