Electoral Commission Turns The Heat On NDC

Is this the beginning of a long feud?
Or the end of an age-old brouhaha? In what could be viewed as a match-up or give and take exercise between two heavy weights, the Electoral Commission (EC) has come out with a terse but strong-worded statement and says it wants to set the record straight regarding allegations levelled against it by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

"It must be put on record that the Ghana Card has been a requirement in the current CI [Constitutional Instrument] since 2012."

Did you get that?
The EC stated this fact among other things in a press statement it issued on Friday 15, May 2020.

According to the commission it wasn't unaware of the calculated smear campaign by the NDC to peddle lies and untruths to ruin its reputation and causing disaffection for it.

Is this the beginning of a long feud between the EC and NDC?

Greek philosopher Socrates said this and I quote: "Guard yourself against accusation even if they are false, for the multitude are ignorant of the truth and look only to reputation."

Possibly, that's the circumstances the EC has found itself lately. The agency and another reputable body-- National Identification Authority (NIA) have been accused by NDC of scheming to rig the 2020 election for the ruling NPP. But it remains to be observed whether political watchers will not see more of this going forward or this would be the final straw that will break the camel's back.

Tackling the issue of birth certificate in its statement, the commission reminded NDC that the said document had never been used as a requirement since 1995. Why? Because it does not have photograph for purposes of identification. Not only that but also the EC rejected as false NDC claims of what the party calls 'suppression of votes'.

It says the new CI, if passed by Parliament will afford guarantors the opportunity to guarantee for ten or more people instead of five (5) as stipulated in the current CI. This makes it possible for applicants without Ghana card and passports to register," the statement added.

The commission emphasised that it is impossible for the agency to conspire with any political party or institution as alleged by NDC party national party Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.

"The electoral processes remain transparent at all levels," the statement added.

So, can the EC be influenced?
This is a question, I think should be answered by NPP and NDC who have been trading accusations and counter accusations for decades now.

The reason, both parties have done it before, according to grapevine. And here are a few questions, I think may pique readers interest: How did they (the parties) do it? Who benefitted fron it?

And how did their gestures influence the EC ?
Sometime in July 2018, a leaked audio tape alleged that then ruling--NDC before the epic 2016 election gave $12 million to the EC. What was that for, to influence the agency? The EC debunked the allegation and said categorically that it couldn't be influenced.

In that leaked tape one Madam Paulina Dadzawa, a commissioner made the following disclosure.

"Normally whichever government is in power not necessarily before election or after election. Kuffour did it, they come and say thank you.. NDC is more generous," the commissioner said.

Question: Is that normal? Once again, whoever the cap fits let him wear it. But I put it to both parties.They must tell all Ghanaians if it's normal and acceptable to give an umpire $12 million before a match is played.

It stinks like skunk!
Traditionally, thank you gifts (be it cash or kind) are given after service is provided. I guess the inevitable question is: Did the freebies (if you like) tip the scales of the election in 2016? No, it didn't. What happened? Then opposition party NPP won the election not by a razor-thin margin but by a whopping one million votes. It was a landslide victory-- the biggest in the nation's political history. But how did they manage to unseat an incumbent or pull it together? The electorates made the decision.

American- English author Anthony Pierce Dillingham says: "When one person makes an accusation check to be sure, he himself is not the guilty one. Sometimes it is those whose case is weak who make the most clamour."

Who really benefitted from it?
"Anyway, according to sources they gave Felix Kwakye Ofosu $12 million to come and give to the Commission. You take some and you know...we give the staff. According to sources, when Felix also sensed that they're likely to lose, he took half of the money went and gave Charlotte half. And that actually infuriated us," said Madam Dadzawa.

Note, this happened before the election.
The paradox is,, some smart individual had long figured it out that no matter what, the NDC would lose, hence instead of presenting the bulk amount to the EC he pocketed half of the booty. What does this tell you about EC, does it look like an agency that can be bought? Why must some political parties continue to influence the agency and then turnaround to accuse them of an unfounded wrongdoing?

Composition of EC
The commission is made up of seven members and its independence is guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution. The current commission was established by the EC Act ((Act 451) of 1993.

History
In December 2018, Jean Adukwei Mensa became the chair after her predecessor Charlotte Osei was sacked by the current government. Four of its current members have more or little less than a decade experience on the commission. Of the four, two have been there for more than 15 years and the other two separately served close to 10 years. The remaining three plus the chair have been members since August 2018.

The Commission’s Public Relations Officer, Sylvia Annoh, is reported to have said that the EC would continue to perform its functions within the confinement of the law by providing free, fair and transparent elections this year.

And without fear or favour.
On Thursday, May 14, 2020, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo the National Chairman of the NDC, in a press conference alleged that the NIA is focusing more on the Ashanti Region for its exercise since the said region is the NPP's stronghold.

He continued that due to this, the NIA has procured more equipment to the region to capture many people as possible for the exercise because the data collected would be given to the EC for the new electoral roll.

To this end the EC has called on the general public to ignore the lies levelled against the commission by the NDC as the party aims to bring the commission’s name into disrepute.

By Gordon Offin-Amaniampong