‘Four persons fighting for credibility at EC are being targeted by Akufo-Addo‘ — Malik Basintale

Malik Basintale, Deputy National Communications Officer for the opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused President Akufo-Addo of targeting four individuals at the Electoral Commission (EC) who have been working tirelessly to build the credibility of the organisation.

He said this during an interview on TV3’s ‘New Day’ morning show, where he claimed to have some documents to back his claim.

“There’ll be breaking news on your platforms. There are four people President Akufo-Addo has targeted at the Electoral Commission. Four people, I am stating it. My name is Malik Basintale, Deputy National Communications Officer for the NDC,” he stated.

Basintale who declined to disclose the identities of the individuals, emphasised that information available to him suggests that President Akufo-Addo has identified certain individuals within the EC who have been striving hard to uphold the integrity of the EC.

He said, “Yesterday, we had documents for that. I may decide to reserve their names - four people! And all details we have here indicate that the President has realised that he has persons within the EC’s jurisdiction that have been fighting for credibility at the Electoral Commission. Four people!”

According to the NDC’s Deputy Communications Officer, the President has used various means to dismiss them but has been unsuccessful.

“And they have queried them, they have gone through different procedures of sacking them but all attempts to get these people out so that they can continue in their rigging spear have proven futile,” he said.

Basintale further alleged that President Akufo-Addo's latest move is clearly aimed at finding any potential grounds to remove them from their positions. “...and so the last step is to request that they provide their CVs so he goes through and they’ll definitely find one or two things.”

He continued,"I am stating it and I've done my checks and balances. I have documents here to prove that, and in the coming days, the NDC will address this particular matter as a whole."

He also expressed concerns over what he perceived as a witch-hunt by President Akufo-Addo, accusing him of attempting to undermine the EC's credibility and independence before exiting office in 2024.

Mr Basintale vowed that the NDC would not allow such actions to hinder the wor of the electoral body in the country.

“We’ll not allow president Akufo-Addo as a result of his witch hunting at the doors of the Electoral Commission as a result of his zeal to ensure that we have a discreditable, reckless, an impure and an independent body to materialise in this country,” he said.