The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has pledged that the party will firmly resist any attempts to influence the upcoming elections through ballot printing irregularities.

Mahama raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the 2020 elections, accusing the Electoral Commission (EC) of printing additional ballot papers that were supposedly given to agents of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The Electoral Commission has started printing ballots for the forthcoming elections and has denied producing more ballots than necessary.

However, Mahama remains sceptical, emphasising that the NDC has little faith in the EC’s processes, which he believes lack transparency and accountability.

During a campaign rally in Sagnarigu, Mahama questioned the impartiality of critical election stakeholders and expressed concern over the EC's conduct.

He called on party agents and election observers to be vigilant throughout the voting process to safeguard against any potential manipulation.

“This election, we are going to make sure that it is transparent and fair. In the past, we have always trusted that everybody who is a stakeholder in the election will behave in a neutral and non-partisan manner. But it doesn’t always work.

"In 2020, when we went to supervise the printing of the ballot papers after we had finished, we packed them, signed them, and our agents left the printing press. After, they started printing ballots, and some of these papers found their way into the hands of the NPP."

“On election day, we caught NPP agents with ballot papers in their hands. We reported them to the police, but nothing happened. So, for these elections, we are not taking any chances.

"Just yesterday, one of our election supervisors went to one of the printing houses, and an NPP person came there and wanted to assault him."

“We know that when they finish printing the rest of the papers, instead of shredding them in front of the agents, they keep them and hand them over to the NPP. Nobody is going to get hold of any extra ballot paper to go and dump them in the ballot boxes. This time, we are all going to be very vigilant,” he stated.