The largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has given the strongest indication yet that, it will likely contest the results of next year’s polls.
NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who served notice of the opposition party’s intentions, said their actions or inactions will largely be based on the conduct of the Chairperson of Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs. Jean Mensa.
To him, if the EC chairperson’s conduct regarding the rules governing electoral process remains unchanged, it will be difficult for the NDC to accept the outcome of the election 2020 results.
Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the NDC Chief Scribe insisted the only basis upon which the NDC can trust EC is through the strict application of the laws governing the electoral process.
“ . . if she follows the application of the law mandated for the EC, there will be trust in the results of the 2020 elections.”
“But if she continues in this tangent without adhering to the law except the application of her will in the electoral process, then it will be another matter al-together. How can you trust that situation? . . . because the law has been put in place to ensure trust in the operations of the EC,” he indicated.
He however professed that even though the law allows the Electoral Commission (EC) to do independent work, the Commission in its wisdom established Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in order to build trust in the electoral process.
“The law allows the EC to do independent work but why did the Commission establish IPAC in the first place? It is because they want political parties to trust the electoral process in the country, and so for people to trust the EC which is why IPAC was established,” he said.
He therefore dared the EC Chairperson that there will be a strong opposition to the decisions of the Electoral Commission if she decides to only use the constitutional mandate without involving political parties in matters which the political activists don’t understand.
“So if she says she will not work with IPAC again but then she wants people to trust in their activities, then it is up to her. If she likes she should dissolve the IPAC and use the constitutional power to take decisions for the electoral process and if nobody understands the decisions, whatever we have to do to challenge the decision, we will do it. If she likes she can announce the dissolution of IPAC as the constitution does not stop the Commission and then use the law to take decisions for electoral processes in the country,” he dared the EC Chairperson.
He was of the view that apart from Jean Mensa, nobody at the EC can say anything which will be considered an official statement from then EC.
