The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has served notice to demonstrate against the Electoral Commission (EC) if it grants NDC’s request to conduct a forensic audit of the provisional voters’ register.
General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Koduah, articulating the NPP’s position regarding the development said it is hypocritical on the part of the NDC to call for a forensic audit of the provisional voters’ register by the EC without substantial evidence.
The National Democratic Congress on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, staged a nationwide demonstration to compel the Electoral Commission to accept to conduct a forensic audit of the provisional voters’ register to be used for the 2024 general elections.
The NDC backed its petition to the EC with a week ultimatum to act. The party cited irregularities and unauthorised manipulation of the voter album with Pusiga in the Upper East region as a peculiar case.
Although, the Electoral Commission says it is studying the NDC’s petition for prompt response, the governing New Patriotic Party has waded in.
The party does not comprehend why the NDC is refusing to furnish the elections management body with claims of the alleged discrepancies in the register but found solace in a demonstration.
General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Koduah said the party’s supporters nationwide will hit the streets to protest against the Electoral Commission should it succumb to the dictates of the NDC.
He said the Electoral Commission told political parties in 2015 that it is capable of handling its constitutional duties so when the Commission grants the request of the NDC, they will question the Commission about what has changed.
“The NPP will also hit the streets to demonstrate against the Electoral Commission. Then it will also mean that the Electoral Commission is not consistent. Because in 2015, it is the same Electoral Commission told us that they are the body, they can ensure that internally, they resolve issues. So, we will ask them, what has changed? ”
In 2015, the NPP-affiliated ‘let my vote count alliance’ also protested to make similar demands.
The then General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who is now the Chairman did not mince words after a committee was set up to assess the alliance’s petition to the EC.
Asiedu Nketia was on tape to have said at that committee, “Before we go into any elections, the register is being exhibited and the main purpose of the exhibition is for us to raise objections to people whose names are there which ought not to be there. There are forms and means of processing those objections that will lead to the deletion of those names, and it includes the deletion of names of dead people too. So, opportunity is given to people to provide evidence”.
Justin Frimpong Koduah said civil society organizations must endeavour to check political parties when they are exceeding their limits and interfering in the Electoral Commission’s constitutionally mandated roles.
Meanwhile, the NPP says it has also detected some discrepancies in the voters’ register and it will petition the Electoral Commission next week to address them through its internal mechanisms.