The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiafvi Kwetey, has cautioned against prematurely interpreting the smooth conduct of Ghana’s special voting as an indicator of how Election Day will unfold.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, December 2, he highlighted the contrasting dynamics between the controlled environment of special voting and the often volatile atmosphere of the general election.
“I would say, by and large, the reports we have monitored—and which have also been confirmed by our agents and executives in the various places where it happened—show that the exercise went on smoothly,” the Ketu South MP noted.
“It was devoid of violence or anything you would call a flagrant abuse of the process,” he added.
While praising the relative calm of the special voting exercise, Fifi Kwetey stated that it is historically not an accurate predictor of Election Day’s dynamics.
“Even in previous elections, the special voting never was an issue. I’m sure in 2016, the special voting, which was like a week earlier, was not an issue.
“But a week later, you saw what happened—eight people died on the day,” he said, recalling the incidents of violence that marred the general election that year.
Mr Kwetey suggested that the stakes on Election Day make the environment significantly different.
“On D-Day, it’s a lot more; people become much more desperate. They feel as if this is a do-or-die affair. That’s when things often become more difficult,” he explained.
Contrasting special voting with the general elections, Fifi Kwetey observed that the streamlined nature of the former reduces the potential for chaos.
“With special voting, it’s just one centre in each place of voting, so there’s a lot more ease. There’s not that desperation because people feel like the major voting itself is not yet here,” he remarked.
Despite his caution, Fifi Kwetey acknowledged the importance of the calm special voting process as a positive sign.
“It’s nice—it’s good so far. The reports show that things went well,” he admitted, before reiterating his warning: “But, as I said, previous elections showed the same for special voting, so I wouldn’t jump to too many conclusions.”
His comments underscore the high stakes and tense atmosphere that often accompanies Ghana’s general elections.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey’s also reflects the NDC’s awareness of the potential challenges on Election Day and their focus on vigilance to ensure a fair and peaceful electoral process.