The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the EC’s claim that it has identified 200,000 cases of multiple registrations in the Ashanti Region as ‘strange and impossible’.
Speaking at a press conference today, the Campaign Manager for the party said the Electoral Commission boss, Charlotte Osei’s “disclosure is very strange because at page 23 of the EC’s response to the NPP, it stated that it had identified 150,000 names nationwide”.
For several months, the opposition NPP and some civil society groups have been pushing for a new electoral register.
The EC on December 31, 2015, threw out the NPP’s petition for a new voters’ register after the party formally petitioned the commission. The Commission, among other things, said the arguments for a new voters’ register were unconvincing.
In an interview on Joy News’ analysis programme-Newsfile on January 9th, the EC boss said that Ghana would end up with a “very elitist” voters’ register if the commission gave in to the methods suggested by the New Patriotic Party.
She revealed that the commission had resolved to audit the voters’ register instead of giving in to the demands of the NPP.
But the NPP says it is only asking for the law and the constitution to be obeyed.
“The NPP’s recommendation for a new voters’ register include many of the requirements that have been used in the past to compile voters’ register…we find it very strange that the EC boss will claim that our recommendations will lead to the creation of an elitist register,” Mr Manu stated.
On the same show, Charlotte Osei revealed that her outfit had identified over 200,000 multiple registration cases in the Ashanti Regional Voters’ Register alone.
But according to the NPP’s Campaign Manager, Peter Mac Manu, contrary to the EC boss’ statement on Newsfile, the commission had stated in its response to the party that it had identified 150,000 names in multiple registrations, nationwide.
“So how is it possible therefore for the EC to identify as much as 200,000 only in Ashanti when you said the whole Ghana in the letter you wrote to us had 150,000 names identified?” Mr Manu quizzed.
He alleged that the EC’s responses to the NPP on Newsfile indicate “how the EC chair is quick to jump on the NDC propaganda wagon and be leading it.”
“The NPP is of the view that the EC must desist from projecting herself as someone who speaks the same language with the ruling party and rather speak as a neutral and fair manager of Ghana’s electoral process,” Mr Mac Manu stated.
The NPP says it is dissatisfied with the responses from the Electoral Commission and “reiterates its convention that only a new, credible voters’ register will ensure free, fair, credible and accurate election.”
By: Joy News
