Audio By Carbonatix
The National Democratic Party (NDP), a breakaway faction of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), has described the just concluded parliamentary and presidential elections as "419", the infamous moniker for advance fee fraud.
The party, led by former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, staged a press conference in Accra Wednesday to register its displeasure about the outcome of the December 7 general elections.
Speaking at the press conference, party chairman Dr. Nii Armah Josiah Aryeh, condemned what he described as the ruling NDC's blatant subversion of the electoral process by using cash inducements to compromise voters and electoral officials.
Dr. Aryeh faulted the process by which the Electoral Commission (EC) collated its results in the famous 'Strong Room' of the Commission. He believes the system is susceptible to manipulation. "Some people took advantage of the process to wreak 419 on us," he stated.
According to an enraged NDP chairman, the clear pilfering of votes from the NDP was unacceptable. He cited several instances where the NDP's parliamentary candidates had their votes slashed considerably in the EC's records.
He laid the blame squarely on the EC, whose modus operandi been questioned by a variety of political actors in recent times.
Almost all the contesting parties in the December 7 and general elections had complained about their votes being diverted to boost the figures of the NDC in the 26,000 polling stations where elections were conducted nationwide.
Dr. Aryeh recounted how in certain constituencies, votes for NDP parliamentary candidates were fraudulently slashed by as much as 70 percent by the EC.
"The Electoral Commission should listen to these countless complaints," Dr. Aryeh implored at the press conference.
The biggest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has tabled the same complaint, saying that the election won by incumbent President John Dramani Mahama was fraudulent because votes duly recorded for NPP candidate Nana Akufo-Addo were clandestinely converted to the tally of the NDC's John Mahama.
The NPP has announced its intention to drag the EC to the Supreme Court over "incontrovertible" evidence of election rigging within the Commission.
Meanwhile, this is the second time the NDP has had cause to complain about mistreatment by the EC. Months before the election, the EC disqualified the NDP flagbearer Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings from the presidential race, citing a failure to secure the requisite number of signatures on her nomination form.
Therefore, the NDP only had parliamentary candidates contesting in the 2012 races, but none of these candidates won seats.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana receives five new envoys to strengthen diplomatic relations – Ablakwa
25 minutes -
Europe’s tallest Virgin Mary statue unveiled in rural Poland
25 minutes -
Sammi Awuku denies reports of EOCO arrest
32 minutes -
Stonebwoy makes history at OVO Arena Wembley with monumental BHIM Festival
1 hour -
Qatar denies capturing three Iranian pilots after downing fighter jets
1 hour -
Tano North chiefs petition Mahama over galamsey destruction in River Tano
2 hours -
Kalpohin SHS, NOBISCO qualify to represent Northern Region at National Public Speaking Competition
2 hours -
Missing records of illegal gold purchases in Ghana raise concern – Duncan-Williams
2 hours -
Duncan-Williams warns of powerful interests targeting GoldBod
3 hours -
We need to pray for GoldBod – Duncan-Williams
3 hours -
Strong favourites or tougher task – will Arsenal defend their title?
4 hours -
Passengers escape death as VIP travelling from Kumasi to Sunyani catches fire
4 hours -
Ariana Grande leaves problems at home as her tour hits the UK
4 hours -
Multiple suspects at large after five shot at Virginia State University, police say
4 hours -
Three killed as Russia launches fresh aerial attacks across Ukraine
4 hours