Firmly and impartially apply electoral rules for fair 2024 polls — CODEO urges EC

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to apply electoral rules firmly and impartially to ensure a credible and peaceful election on December 7.

This call was made during its eve-of-election press briefing and launch of its National Information Centre at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center on Friday, December 6.

The statement read by CODEO Board of Advisory co-chairs, Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe and Mrs. Elizabeth Joyce Villars, highlighted the significance of impartiality by the EC and other key stakeholders, stating that strict adherence to the rules would promote fairness and public trust in the electoral process.

“The Electoral Commission and all polling officials must firmly, impartially, and objectively apply electoral rules to ensure a fair process,” they stated.

CODEO also emphasized its role in monitoring the elections with a nationwide deployment of 4,000 observers.

The observers, stationed at polling stations and collation centers, are tasked with ensuring transparency.

“As an independent, impartial, and objective observer, CODEO assures Ghanaians of its role in ensuring electoral integrity,” the coalition said, underlining the coalition’s long-standing commitment to electoral fairness.

The coalition further urged political parties and citizens to respect electoral laws and avoid any actions that could undermine the credibility of the polls.

“All eligible citizens must follow appropriate electoral processes to exercise their franchise and avoid incidents that could mar the elections’ integrity,” they noted.

With its comprehensive preparations, including training and deployment of observers, CODEO assured the public of its readiness to support a free and fair electoral process.

The coalition also called on the media and security agencies to act professionally to safeguard the nation’s democratic values.