The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has cautioned the Electoral Commission's leadership “to live up to its expected mandate and stop working in the interest of the ruling party”.
In a Facebook post on Monday, June 03, 2024, Mahama called on the EC to fulfil its mandate impartially and warned against actions that undermine the electoral process.
Mahama’s post criticized the EC’s decision to prevent political party agents from observing the ongoing voter transfer exercise, alleging it is a deliberate attempt to assist the NPP in manipulating the election results.
“The Electoral Commission’s decision not to allow agents of political parties to observe the ongoing voter transfer exercise points to only one reason—the EC’s avowed determination to aid the ruling NPP in stealing the outcome of the 2024 elections. But as I have continued to repeat, and did this past weekend in Tongo, this collusion between the EC and the NPP will not work. They will fail!” Mahama stated.
He also expressed disbelief over the EC and NPP’s reversal of a decision made at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, which initially allowed political party agents to be present at district offices for the transfer exercise.
“The NPP knows and internally admits that it will lose the 2024 presidential elections. We also know that, as a last resort, it seeks to deploy gerrymandering during this voter transfer period to improve its chances in the parliamentary elections in the erroneous belief that it may rely on that to affect its presidential votes,” Mahama added.
The former president detailed how the NPP allegedly plans to transfer thousands of voters from their strongholds in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions, as well as selected areas in Greater Accra, to constituencies controlled by the NDC, aiming to offset the opposition party’s gains.
“Ghanaians have already decided to vote Akufo-Addo and Bawumia out because of the unprecedented hardships they are faced with due to their economic mismanagement and deep-seated corruption. I am certain that no amount of collusion between the Electoral Commission and the NPP can rescue the NPP on December 07, 2024,” he asserted.
Mahama instructed NDC members to remain vigilant and continue monitoring the transfer process, emphasizing the importance of transparency and fairness.
“I challenge the EC leadership to live up to its expected mandate and stop working in the interest of the ruling party,” Mahama concluded.
John Mahama’s comments come after the EC issued a directive to its Regional Directors, instructing them to inform District Directors that agents of political parties will not be allowed to observe the ongoing transfer of votes.
This directive is set to take effect on Monday, June 3.
The EC explained that this decision comes in response to several clashes that have occurred at its district offices.
However, the NDC vehemently opposed the directive and urged its agents to disregard the EC’s instruction.