The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has launched a strong critique of the Electoral Commission (EC), raising concerns about its capacity to manage Ghana’s democratic process impartially.
This reaction follows the EC’s decision to disqualify Joana Gyan Cudjoe, the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central.
During a press conference in Accra on October 17, NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey expressed his views candidly, asserting that the EC is unqualified to oversee the nation’s democratic proceedings. He pointed to various instances of misconduct, including the SALL case.
Mr Kwetey contended that the EC’s actions reveal a troubling agenda to manipulate election results through exploiting legal loopholes and administrative tactics, rather than relying on the electoral process.
“The people of Ghana must not be fooled. The disqualification of Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe is part of a broader pattern of misconduct by an Electoral Commission that has shown time and again that it is unfit to referee the democratic process.
“From SALL to Amenfi Central, the EC’s actions reveal a dangerous intent to rig elections not through the ballot box, but through legal trickery and administrative subterfuge.
“This latest travesty must not be allowed to stand. If we do not stop the EC now, then tomorrow it could be your constituency, your representative, your right to vote that is denied.”
Mr Kwetey added that it wasn’t until October 16 that the EC reached out to the Sekondi High Court to inquire about the injunction’s status, which he characterized as a desperate and shameful move to rationalize an unlawful decision made in haste.
“To further expose the wicked agenda of the Jean Mensa-led EC, it has emerged that the Electoral Commission showed its true intentions when it issued the letter of disqualification on 10th October 2024, a full six days before even bothering to check whether the injunction had been stayed or vacated.
“This blatant disregard for due process is a clear indication of their bad faith. It wasn’t until October 16, that the EC wrote to the Sekondi High Court to inquire about the status of the injunction, a desperate and shameful attempt to justify an unlawful decision after the facet.”
On the same day, the EC made its announcement, citing an ongoing court case that challenges Joana Gyan Cudjoe’s eligibility to represent the NDC in the upcoming 2024 general elections.