The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Richard Ahiagbah has questioned why the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not resorting to the courts to get the Electoral Commission to act on their demand for a forensic audit of the voter register.
He recollected that when the NPP, then the opposition party in 2016, had issues with the voter register and wanted an audit, they went to court to get the commission to clean the register.
The NPP’s court action, he said, resulted in many electoral reforms.
In a post on his X platform reacting to the Enough is Enough nationwide demonstration, Ahiagbah said “Why is the NDC not going to court to seek redress or to compel the Electoral Commission to take up their demand if it is to improve the integrity of our electoral system? This is the avenue that the NPP used to advance the many reforms part of our electoral laws, rules, and regulations today. I fancy the court option because it works…”.
The NDC organized the Enough is Enough nationwide demonstration on Tuesday, September 17 to press home their demands for the conduct of the voter register.
“Our demand is simple,” National Chairman of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia said.
He added “We want the EC to ensure a free, fair, and transparent election and a credible register is central to that goal.
“We want nothing but transparent elections that will guarantee our right to choose our leaders. Without the right of self-determination, democracy is good as gone and every democracy at one point in time, comes under threat Ghana’s democracy is under serious threat now and we want to prevail.
“We shall overcome because every democracy has the risk of producing a tyrant but our ability to fight that tyrant and restore democracy once again is paramount and we shall prevail.”
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) has assured the National Democratic Congress that they would review the petition filed after the ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration.
The commission assured all stakeholders of delivering a credible and robust Final Register ahead of the December 2024 Elections.
The Commission says it is mindful that the Voters Register is the bedrock of credible, fair, and transparent Elections.
In a statement responding to them, the EC said “The Commission wishes to assure the General Public that the process of producing the Final Register is in its early stages. The Commission is mindful that the Voters Register is the bedrock of credible, fair and transparent Elections. We assure the NDC and all Stakeholders of our avowed commitment to delivering a credible and robust Final Register ahead of the December 2024 Elections. In the meantime, our doors remain open. We look forward to engaging the NDC on their concerns.”
Below is the EC’s response.
RESPONSE TO NDC’S PETITION FOLLOWING DEMONSTRATION ON TUESDAY, 17TH SEPTEMBER, 2024
The Electoral Commission has received the petition submitted by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the end of their demonstration on Tuesday, 17th September, 2024. The Commission will review the petition and provide its response in the coming days.
The Commission wishes to assure the General Public that the process of producing the Final Register is in its early stages.
The Commission is mindful that the Voters Register is the bedrock of credible, fair and transparent Elections. We assure the NDC and all Stakeholders of our avowed commitment to delivering a credible and robust Final Register ahead of the December 2024 Elections.
In the meantime, our doors remain open. We look forward to engaging the NDC on their concerns.
