The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has abandoned its call for a forensic audit of the voter register for the 2024 general elections after failing to provide evidence to support its claims at a widely televised Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting.
The party had alleged alarming irregularities, discrepancies, and unauthorized manipulation of the Provisional Voters’ Register for the 2024 general elections, calling on the Electoral Commission (EC) to allow an independent forensic audit of the voters’ register and its IT system.
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, the NDC embarked on a nationwide demonstration against the Electoral Commission, claiming they had uncovered evidence of 243,540 illegal transfers, 3,957 deleted voter names, and over 1,500 unidentified voter transfer paths in the provisional register.
The EC and other political parties called on the NDC to provide evidence to support these claims—a request the party has yet to fulfill.
The NDC also urged the EC to convene a stakeholders’ meeting and agree to publish the findings of the forensic audit, re-exhibit the register after the audit, review and correct all unauthorized transfers, adopt a revised timeline for electoral activities, and institute accountability and integrity measures.
However, after a televised IPAC meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, in which the EC debunked the NDC’s claims, the party shifted its position.
Following the IPAC meeting, the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee (FEC) issued a statement signed by General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, abandoning its earlier stance. Instead, the party called on the EC to institute a multi-stakeholder and inter-party examination of the Electoral Commission’s IT system to address its vulnerabilities.
The NDC accepted the EC’s promise to release the corrected/updated version of the 2024 Provisional Voters’ Register to political parties and welcomed the decision to re-exhibit the updated provisional register.
Some political parties have criticized the NDC for engaging in needless propaganda in its political discourse, particularly regarding the electoral process.
Habib Yakubu, Director of Elections for the Convention People’s Party (CPP), speaking at the IPAC meeting, indicated that the current political climate was highly charged. He stressed the importance of all political parties prioritizing the survival and well-being of Ghana beyond the upcoming elections.
He criticized the NDC’s decision to protest against an electoral document still in the draft phase, and called on the media to exercise more caution when reporting on political matters, particularly those involving NDC propaganda. He emphasized the need to avoid amplifying partisan rhetoric and instead focus on fostering unity, ensuring the nation’s interests come first.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
Citing the EC’s constitutional mandate under Article 45(a) of the 1992 Constitution, which grants it the authority to oversee and manage all aspects of elections in Ghana, Mrs Mensa emphasized that the EC has a long-standing track record of delivering credible elections. She urged stakeholders to place their trust in the Commission’s ability to execute its duties fairly and transparently.
Mrs Mensa assured that the Commission had robust mechanisms in place to ensure accuracy, noting that the voters’ register is subject to ongoing revisions through established processes, such as re-exhibition online.
She further assured political parties and the public that the EC remains committed to an open and inclusive electoral process, welcoming feedback and cooperation from all parties.