Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct an independent audit of the voter register to guarantee the integrity of the upcoming elections.
Speaking on Starr Today with Tutuwaa Danso, Mr Gyamfi, voiced that the credibility of the electoral process is being compromised by various irregularities in the current register.
“We’ve raised very serious issues that border on the sanctity of the electoral process because they touch on the credibility of the voters register. The bedrock of every free and fair election in the world is the credibility of the register. Once you get the register right, the job is done in terms of ensuring that the election is free and fair.”
Mr. Gyamfi pointed out several disturbing issues, including the deletion of over 4,000 voters and the unlawful transfer of over 15,000 names, which he believes undermine the right of Ghanaians to choose their leaders freely. “We cannot have a situation where over 4,000 voters have been deleted from the register. The EC has accepted it. We cannot have a situation where the voter transfer register is bloated by over 243,000 votes,” he lamented.
He stressed that the NDC’s demand for an audit is based on concrete evidence presented to the EC, which has acknowledged these concerns. “These are not mere allegations; they are backed by incontrovertible facts. What we are asking for is an independent audit into the register and the IT systems to ascertain how these discrepancies happened and to prevent future occurrences,” Mr. Gyamfi explained.
The NDC is determined to use all legal and democratic avenues to ensure a fair election process, Mr. Gyamfi affirmed, warning that the EC’s failure to address these discrepancies would undermine the credibility of the election. “If the Commission has nothing to hide, they should be happy about an audit because it will vindicate the integrity of the process. But if they continue to move towards opacity instead of transparency, then it is clear they have something to hide,” he insisted.
He cautioned that the party would not rest until every eligible Ghanaian is assured of their right to vote without manipulation or disenfranchisement. “Every Ghanaian 18 years and above and of sound mind who is registered must not be disenfranchised. They must be allowed to vote,” he emphasized.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
