Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama has described the Electoral Commission’s newly compiled voters’ register as disappointing.
Addressing the press Thursday, Mr Mahama noted that although the EC promised to provide a problem-free register, issues generated detected in the new roll is unprecedented.
“They [Electoral Commission] said our old biometric register was overstretched, that the equipment was obsolete and so we are going to get superior technology [to rectify all these issues].
“But we are surprised and disappointed that the ‘so-called’ superior technology is generating even more problems than the one they described as obsolete,” he said.
Commenting on the anomalies that have been detected during the ongoing exhibition exercise, he said the widespread scale of incidence, where over 900 persons names are mysteriously missing increases the suspicion that the Electoral Commission is deliberately manipulating the register to disenfranchise some electorates.
According to him, the ‘headstrong’ Electoral Commission has refused to listen to any advice particularly, ones opined by the NDC.
“IPAC is what has made our Electoral Commission one of the best electoral institution in the whole of Africa. But this present EC has a phobia for the IPAC.
“The political parties are critical stakeholders in the electoral process and all of them must feel confident that they have participated in the processes leading up to elections. That is what makes it easier for one to accept that it has lost the elections,” he stated.
Former President Mahama who is seeking a second term in the 2020 general elections then called on the citizenry to visit their various exhibition centres to ensure that their names are in the register.
“I plead to all Ghanaians to take a few minutes of their time to go and verify their names so that you are sure that your name has not been removed,” he urged.
On his part, the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia charged the Electoral Commission to publish all defective applicants on its website.
According to him, the voters’ identification card is unique to its holder, hence, it is crucial for the Commission to take steps to rectify all the anomalies.
“The EC must withdraw the register, do its homework and clean it up after that provide copies to all political parties and publish abnormities detected on it website for transparency,” he said.