Former Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, has urged members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to rescind their boycott of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
The main opposition party withdrew its participation from IPAC after the 2020 general elections, accusing the leadership of the EC of alleged bias in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NDC accused the EC of overseeing the manipulation of the 2020 general elections.
While addressing the 3rd Annual Conference of the NDC Lawyers Association in Akosombo in the Eastern Region, Dr. Afari Gyan emphasized the opportunities that IPAC offers to the various political parties.
“The IPAC makes it possible for political parties to know and make inputs to the important thing the Electoral Commission is doing at any point in time. It makes it possible to discuss the concerns of the parties and makes it possible to contribute to the making of subsidiary legislation, and I will appeal to the NDC to go back.”
“Don’t worry if your ideas are not adopted, please go there and make your ideas felt. Indeed, in some cases, IPAC is the forum for stakeholder dialogue towards achieving common ownership of the electoral system. Under Ghana’s Electoral system, there are many opportunities for political parties to participate in Electoral processes that promote free and fair elections,” Dr Afari Gyan advised.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) refused to attend an IPAC meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 21, 2021.
The meeting was aimed at giving the various political parties the opportunity to review the December 7, 2020, general elections.
“The National Democratic Congress (NDC), declined an invitation by the Electoral Commission of Ghana to attend an IPAC meeting to review the 2020 Parliamentary and Presidential Elections which was scheduled for Wednesday 21st April 2021. The party took this decision because of the lack of candour, odious duplicity, and open bias that was displayed by the Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission in favour of the New Patriotic Party in the conduct of the 2020 general elections,” the NDC said in a statement.
The NDC, in the statement, justified the action, saying it was to protest the supposed bias displayed by the Electoral Commission during the polls.
“It is the considered view of the NDC, that the current leadership of the Electoral Commission who supervised the manipulation of the 2020 general elections and the stolen verdict that resulted from same, lack the integrity, credibility and impartiality to lead any such discussions or review of the very elections they rigged,” it said.