The Electoral Commission (EC) has come under heavy fire from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, over allegations of gerrymandering in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections.
Akandoh, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the constituency, has accused the EC of deliberately undermining Ghana’s democracy by appointing known New Patriotic Party (NPP) affiliates as polling officers.
In a statement issued on Monday, Akandoh accused the EC of actively working to rig the elections in favour of the ruling NPP.
“The EC has abandoned its constitutional role as a neutral referee and is instead behaving as an agent of the NPP. The blatant appointment of NPP operatives as polling officers in Juaboso is a slap in the face of fairness, transparency, and justice,” Akandoh declared.
He stressed the sudden transfer of the District Electoral Officer in Juaboso, which he described as “strategic and suspicious.” Akandoh claims the replacement officer has been actively appointing individuals with clear NPP affiliations to oversee polling stations in the constituency.
According to Akandoh, the actions of the EC in Juaboso are not isolated. He cited previous irregularities in voter transfer exercises and accused the Commission of engaging in gerrymandering to favour the NPP.
The statement alleged that some of the appointed polling officers had openly endorsed the NPP’s presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and the party’s parliamentary candidate for Juaboso.
“These individuals have been captured in videos participating in NPP rallies, singing and dancing to Bawumia campaign songs, and are members of NPP WhatsApp campaign groups. This is undeniable proof that they are political operatives, not impartial officers,” he stated.
Akandoh and the NDC are demanding the immediate removal of 26 allegedly partisan polling officers. Additionally, the MP is calling on the EC to comply with the electoral law, particularly Constitutional Instrument 127 (C.I. 127), which mandates the publication of names and photographs of polling officers.
“The EC must act swiftly to restore public confidence. Ghanaians will not tolerate any manipulation of the electoral process,” he insisted.
Akandoh also pointed out anomalies in the published list of polling officers for Juaboso. He revealed that 159 officers lacked individual phone numbers, while some numbers were shared among multiple officers. He described this as a “clear violation” of the law and questioned the authenticity of the list.
“By failing to meet the basic requirements of transparency, the EC is fueling suspicion and eroding trust,” he said.
The Juaboso MP warned that the EC’s actions could jeopardize the nation’s peace and stability, stating, “The EC is constitutionally mandated to act as an impartial referee, not as a biased player aiding one side against another.”
He urged Ghanaians to stand firm in defence of democracy.
“Let this serve as a warning to the EC: Ghanaians will not stand by and allow you to subvert their will. No amount of rigging or manipulation can save the NPP from the inevitable defeat awaiting them at the polls,” Akandoh said.uaboso