KEY POINTS
- The NDC submitted a petition to the Ashanti Regional Electoral Commission over electoral issues.
- The Ashanti Regional EC boss has promised to submit the petition within 24 hours.
- The petition addresses concerns over voter registration and alleged irregularities.
The Ashanti Regional EC boss has assured the opposition NDC that their petition regarding alleged irregularities in the ongoing voter registration process will be forwarded to the right quarters in the next 24 hours.
The NDC filed the petition as a way of seeking to redress what they have accused the commission of doing wrong in the conduct of the voter registration exercise in the Ashanti Region which is a stronghold of the NDC.
The party officials have accused the commission of some malpractices in the process such as vote rigging, especially in the strongholds of NDC.
Fears over voter registration anomalies
The petition is based on what the NDC has accused the government of deliberately plotting to remove its supporters in the region. Some of the party representatives have complained that the delays, technical issues and distribution of limited registration centres have been targeted at the stronghold of NDC voters.
Leadership of NDC has expressed these concerns saying that the EC should act on these irregularities now to make the electoral process more credible. The party also feels that if these issues are not addressed soon, it will be detrimental to the credibility of future elections.
GhanaWeb reported that the Ashanti Regional EC boss accepted the petition and promised to take it to the higher powers for immediate action. This quick intervention is meant to de-escalate tensions in the region and reassure people about the electoral process.
The electoral commission has been urged to be fair in its operations.
The Ashanti Region is one of the most important regions in Ghana as far as elections are concerned and any matter concerning the registration of voters is well considered by both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC.
Since the region has always been inclined to the NPP, the NDC’s worries are based on the belief that their supporters may be prevented from voting.
The assurance by the Ashanti Regional EC boss to present the petition within 24-hours is considered a step towards addressing these issues. In this regard, the EC wants to make sure that the electoral process is fair and free from bias hence the willingness to address the NDC’s grievances.
The NDC has urged the EC to look into the matters raised in the petition and make necessary amendments where applicable. They have also called on the commission to guarantee that polling stations are opened to all registered voters without any discrimination of their political affiliations.
Hope for electoral transparency
The early response to the NDC’s petition is therefore a positive sign towards the resolution of electoral disputes in the Ashanti Region.
Since the next general elections are in the offing, the registration of voters must be done in a manner that is credible and as inclusive as possible for the sustenance of democracy in Ghana.
Since the NDC and the NPP are planning for the next elections, there is hope that the Electoral Commission will be neutral and democratic. The early filing of the petition may help address the NDC’s concerns and support a violence-free and credible election.
