The Parliamentary Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Weija Gbawe constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Cleland Nii Ayaa Ayison, has raised an alarm on how officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) are coniving with some unknown voices to manipulate the ongoing registration process in his area.
Addressing journalists at his residence on Saturday morning, the parliamentary candidate alleged that officials of commission have denied Agents of the NDC access to the daily data records of the registration known as ‘end of day report’, same for the ‘start of day report’.
Per the Electoral Commission’s own guidelines for the registration, each party agent and observers are to be given copies of a report at the end of each day of the registration excercise clearly indicating the number of people who have registered at the center for the day, among others. This is to be crosschecked with the start of day report to ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page of the excercise at all times.
However, Ayaa Ayison says, reports reaching him from over eight registration centres in his constituency so far indicate that the agents of the NDC have been pushed to the back burner by the EC officials and only asked to observe from a distance.
He said when he moved to the grounds personally to acertain the veracity of the allegations and enquired from the registration officials, it was confirmed to him that they have been “instructed from their superiors” not to give out the reports to the agents of the NDC.
Not satisfied with the information, he contacted the office of the District Directorate of the Commission in Weija-Gbawe, where one Mr Darkwah, admitted same and claimed it was an “order from above”.
He further alleged that the illegal activities, were occurring at centres believed to be the strongholds of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency.
“This clearly shows that the EC officials are conniving with the governing party to manipulate the process. And if they (EC officers) cannot be trusted to compile a credible voters register, how can we trust them to conduct a free and fair elections in this country, ” a passionate Ayaa Ayison asked.
His fear is that this action by the officials of the Commission could affect the integrity of the Registration process and eventually bring chaos in the country, hence his call for those pulling the strings from behind in the name of ‘orders from above’ should put an immediate stop to it.
“We all want peace, and that is what we (NDC) members have demonstrated over the years. We don’t have any other place other than Ghana and we will resist any attempt to disenfranchise some Ghanaians,” he stated.
He condemned the action of the officials of the Commission and called on all stakeholders and well-meaning Ghanaians to demand a credible voter register for the upcoming general elections.
He assured that the NDC would continue to put an eye on the EC and its officials in the Weija -Gbawe area and the entire country to ensure that the will of the people are not curtailed in any form.
By Jeorge Wilson Kingson || ghananewsonline.com.gh
