The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared that it will follow the Ghanaian Electoral Commission’s order for political parties to remove their representatives from polling places during the current voter transfer operation.
Evans Nimako, the NPP’s director of elections, claims that contrary to what the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims, the decision to permit political party agents to watch the voter transfer process was a compromise rather than a mandate.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, saw Nimako make these comments in an interview with Neat FM. She also stated that the EC has every right to revoke the compromise because it is inciting violence.
“We took a compromised position to allow agents to observe the exercise, but if this has resulted in fights, why should it be changed? Where have you heard the NPP saying we would not adhere to the EC’s directive?
“The law gives the EC the power to transfer votes. If it does it, and you think it wasn’t done well, you have the right to challenge. But the time for a challenge is not when the exercise is ongoing. What you have to do is to request the transfer list and raise an objection,” he said in Twi.
He added, “The election victory God is going to give us is not going to be by violence. We’re not violent people; we are going to work with what the law says.”
The regional directors were instructed by the EC to stop political parties from witnessing the current voter transfer process.
The order was issued in response to allegations of violence at several locations, including the Kasoa EC office, where voter transfer exercises are being conducted.
For example, there on Sunday, June 2, 2024, during a dispute over the transfer of voters to the Awutu Senya East Constituency, some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) allegedly stabbed the son of Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
The EC instructed its district officers not to permit representatives of the various political parties to watch the voter transfer process in a letter to its regional directors.
“The Commission’s attention has been drawn to the violent clashes occurring at some of the District Offices as a result of the transfer of votes exercise.
“Regional Directors are to inform District Officers not to allow agents of political parties to observe the transfer of votes exercise with effect from tomorrow, Monday, June 3, 2024,” parts of the letter, dated Sunday, June 2, 2024, read.
“Pursuant to Regulation 22 (8) of C.I. 127, Returning Officers are required to give copies of the transferred voters’ list to political parties and candidates upon request. District Officers should ensure that they strictly adhere to this requirement,” the statement added.