The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced a nationwide demonstration on September 17th to protest the Electoral Commission’s (EC) refusal to commission a forensic audit of the voter register for the upcoming December elections.
The announcement was made by NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, following the filing of nomination forms for the party's flagbearer, John Mahama, at the EC headquarters.
Mr. Nketiah cited the lack of progress in investigations concerning the theft of Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) as a major concern, noting that the absence of updates has fueled suspicions within the party.
He emphasized that the planned demonstrations in all 16 regional capitals are a response to the EC’s inaction on this and other issues related to the election's organization.
“Those of you who have been asking us what we would do if they did not comply, this is your answer: on the 17th of this month, the NDC is embarking on a massive nationwide demonstration in all 16 regional capitals,” he declared.
He called on NDC members to submit additional petitions to the EC, particularly urging those in Accra to head to the commission’s headquarters. These petitions will demand that the EC ensures the elections are peaceful, free, and fair.
In a related development, during a recent Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, the NDC’s Director of Elections and IT, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, urged the EC to re-exhibit the 2024 voter’s register.
He argued that this step is necessary to correct discrepancies identified during the recent voter exhibition exercise. Dr. Boamah highlighted that the party's analysis revealed widespread errors when comparing the 2023 voter register with the provisional 2024 register.
Despite these concerns, the EC has not agreed to the NDC’s demands for a forensic audit of the register.
The demonstration on September 17th is seen as a critical step by the NDC to press for their demands ahead of the December polls.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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