The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has served notice that it will resist an attempt by any external sources to conduct any audit of the voter register.
The national organiser of the party, Henry Nana Boakye, stated categorically that the NPP will oppose any decision to have an external body audit the register.
He suggested that such an action will amount to an interference into the work of the electoral body.
He said the NPP will resist any attempt to introduce any external elements or any private entity into the operations of the EC, adding that the independence of the EC is firmly established and enshrined in the constitution.
According to him, he cannot wrap his head around that a certain independent private entity should be positioned over the EC’s head to go into the fundamental document that is required for the Electoral process when the EC is well established to audit the errors identified.
He said the NDC has made wild allegations and created the impression that the anomaly it detected with regards to the illegal voter transfers was nationwide.
The private legal practitioner stated that the numbers cited by the NDC are substantial or disturbing, yet they have declined to provide any supporting evidence to the EC as requested.
Henry Nana Boakye said the exhibition exercise was enough to help to correct any form of anomaly.
He stated that the impression should not be created that the NDC has, through an undercover investigation or intelligence work, discovered any anomaly.
He noted in a discussion with Joy News that the NPP had requested a mass registration exercise and audit in 2016, which was not permitted, and the formed committee advised the Electoral Commission to re-open exhibitions and delete names that should not appear on the register.
When asked about the type of auditing the NPP would support, he stated that the register has already undergone auditing through the recently held exhibition exercise.
He went on to state that should the forensic audit suggested to be done is granted; it will open the floodgate for others to make frivolous demands of the EC.
Meanwhile, Communications Officer of the NDC, Sanmy Gyamfi, says the party has given the EC a week ultimatum to address its concerns, or they will follow up with more demonstrations.
He argued that if the EC has nothing to hide; it must open itself up for the forensic audit to be conducted.
He added that the intransigence the EC is displaying is not in the interest of Ghanaians or the electoral body itself.
He underscored the need for the EC to preserve the peace we are enjoying and allow the will of the people to be respected.
“If you have done nothing wrong, if you have not manipulated the register, if the regsiter is sacrosanct as they claim and they have nothing to hide, why are they running from a simple audit?”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
