A Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has described as apt the Electoral Commission’s decision to re-collate parliamentary results for some disputed constituencies in the just-ended election.
While the Commission has been asked to allow persons in disagreement with the declarations in some nine constituencies to go to court as the law stipulates, the Commission insists the laid down processes for the collation and declaration were inconclusive, and therefore it is mandated to complete those processes.
At a news conference on Thursday, December 19, the EC justified its decision and appealed to the government to offer it maximum security to complete the process.
But speaking on Joy News’ AM Show, the Deputy NPP General Secretary condemned the actions of NDC youth who have been involved in vandalizing election materials and burning pink sheets that had been securely stored in boxes, awaiting collation at various centres.
According to Mr Mohammed, not all nine constituencies have had their results declared, as some are still in the process of collation. He explained that these areas are being disrupted by violent individuals.
“These processes are being attacked by those who seek to disrupt the integrity of the election,” he said, condemning the interference by these groups.
He noted that in constituencies where declarations had already been made, the Electoral Commission had acted upon requests from political parties, especially the NDC. He explained that members of the NDC were put in a position where they had to choose between their safety and their political positions. This, he suggested, added to the complexity of the situation.
“This is not the country that we know,” Mr Mohammed remarked, expressing concern about the unfolding events. “This is not the democracy we have all nurtured.” Despite the ongoing disturbances, he expressed confidence that the Electoral Commission’s decision was the right one to ensure that the election process remains fair and transparent.
With tensions escalating, Mr Mohammed emphasized the need for increased security as a way to safeguard the electoral process and prevent further disruption.
He also warned that the NDC, a party he believes does not respect the rule of law or democratic values, threatens the very foundations of Ghana’s political system. “They want to destroy everything in the country,” he said.
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