The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana to issue a public apology over what it describes as a “bloated” voter register. The opposition party argues that inaccuracies in the current register could undermine the credibility of the upcoming elections and potentially disenfranchise a significant number of eligible voters.
At a press conference held in Accra on Monday, the EC admitted that an error had occurred, resulting in an inflated voter register in the Ejumako-Enyan-Esiam constituency. The Commission explained that this was due to the unintended inclusion of voter transfer lists from the years 2020 and 2023 in the present register, leading to an increase in the number of registered voters.
The NDC has accused the EC of collaborating with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to inflate the register by over 3,000 voters. However, at the press conference, Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman of the EC, clarified that the error was a result of an accidental inclusion of transfer lists, rather than any intentional wrongdoing.
In response to the EC’s explanation, Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer, the NDC’s Deputy Director of Elections and IT, expressed doubts about the EC’s credibility during an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Wednesday. He argued that the Commission’s internal investigation could not be trusted and called for an independent, external audit to verify the accuracy of the register.
“We do not trust their internal investigation. We are calling for an external body to audit them because this EC cannot be trusted with even handling their own data,” Dr. Rashid-Computer stated. He further emphasized the need for the Commission to apologize to the Ghanaian public for the confusion caused by the error.
He elaborated on the party’s concerns, saying, “They migrated 2020 transfers into these current transfers, which resulted in the bloating of the register. The EC must apologize to Ghanaians for this mistake.”
The demand for an apology and an external audit reflects the NDC’s ongoing concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process. The party insists that only an independent examination of the voter register can restore public confidence in the Commission’s ability to manage the upcoming elections.
While the EC has admitted to the mistake, it remains to be seen whether the Commission will heed the NDC’s calls for an apology or an external audit. The dispute over the voter register is the latest in a series of confrontations between the NDC and the EC, highlighting the tense political environment ahead of the elections.
The EC, for its part, has sought to reassure the public and all stakeholders of its commitment to ensuring a free, fair, and transparent election. The Commission has promised to correct the error in the voter register and has urged political parties and citizens to maintain faith in its processes.
However, the NDC’s demand for an apology and an external audit reflects broader concerns about the EC’s management of the electoral process. For many Ghanaians, the integrity of the voter register is a critical component of a credible election, and any perceived irregularities can have significant implications for public trust in the electoral system.
The party’s accusations of collusion between the EC and the ruling NPP also highlight the polarized political climate in the country. With elections on the horizon, both the NDC and the NPP are keenly focused on ensuring that the electoral process is perceived as fair and transparent by their supporters and the broader public.
As the debate over the voter register continues, the EC faces increasing pressure to demonstrate its impartiality and competence in managing the electoral process. Whether the Commission will address the NDC’s demands remains to be seen, but the controversy underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in Ghana’s democratic process.
Moving forward, all eyes will be on the EC to see how it handles the NDC’s demands and whether any further measures will be taken to reassure the public of the fairness and accuracy of the upcoming elections. The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for public confidence in the electoral process and, ultimately, the legitimacy of the election results.
