The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is accusing the Electoral Commission (EC) of manipulating the ongoing voter biometric registration in connivance with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in certain parts of Accra.
In a statement signed by the NPPs Greater Accra Regional Director of Communications, Michael Kwabena Ampong, the party claimed new Registration Centres have been created without their knowledge.
Read the full statement below.
The Greater Accra Regional Branch of the New Patriotic Party wishes to register its formal protest and displeasure about manipulations by the Electoral Commission in connivance with the Ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding the ongoing Biometric Voter Registration Exercise.
Firstly, the Electoral Commission, contrary to the agreed number of Registration Centres, has added many new Registration Centres without the knowledge of the NPP. Consequently, the NPP has not been able to put up party agents who are adequately prepared to effectively monitor the registration exercise.
Shockingly, all these new Registration Centres are created in the perceived strongholds of the NDC. Similarly, the NDC has its agents in these numerous unannounced Registration Centres suggesting that the NDC has extra information from the Electoral Commission which other political parties don’t have.
For the Electoral Commission to embark on this clandestine activity means that it (the EC) has compromised on its credibility and fairness. What does the EC seek to achieve by creating more unannounced centres on the blindside of other political parties with the exception of the NDC?
In another development, the regional monitoring desk of the NPP has uncovered that most registration equipments sent to perceived NPP strongholds are faulty resulting in undue delay of the registration exercise in such centres. Places affected mostly are Dansoman, Tema and parts of Teshie and Nungua.
Again, the monitoring desk has discovered that the numbering of registered voters is not sequential. In other words, the numbers for registered voters in the same queue are not in sequential orders; leaving gaps in between. Places such as Asesewa, Ashaiman and Ayawaso West-Wuogon.
By this statement, we are alerting all constituency officers and party activists to rise up and follow closely all the moves by the E.C and the NDC.
We are also calling on all stakeholders such as Civil Society organizations, Religious bodies and all who are concerned about the Democracy, Peace and Stability to prevail on the E.C and government to ensure fair play since the NPP would not tolerate any iota of cheating and manipulation from any quarters. The NPP is wide awake and ready to face up to any challenged or threat if any attempt is made to disenfranchise legitimate Ghanaians.
Thank You
Signed
Michael Kwabena Ampong, ‘Jagbole’
Regional Director of Communication
NPP, Greater Accra