Election Watch Ghana has described the decision by the Electoral Commission to exclude the political parties from the ongoing votes transfer exercise as an assault to the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
Election Watch says the directive to goes contrary to what the Constitution enjoins the Commission to do to ensure a transparent electoral process.
The EC has directed its returning officers not to allow the parties send their agents to the centres where the votes transfer is ongoing. This follows some clashes that were recorded in the early hours of Sunday, June 02, 2024, between supporters of the NPP and NDC.
The NDC, after the directive, has asked its members to disregard the directive and station agents at all the centres, whereas the NPP has complied with the EC not to send anyone to the centres.
But in a statement issued by Election Watch Monday, June 03, it says all stakeholders agreed at IPAC to present their agents at the centres, and reversing the decision without the parties’ consent is a dangerous threat to that State’s democracy.
“The EC’s defiant refusal to allow political party observers to observe the transfer process is a blatant assault on the transparency and integrity of our electoral process, contrary to the spirit of the Constitutional provisions that established the EC to ensure credible elections.
“This egregious violation of the agreement is a slap in the face to the collective will of stakeholders and a dangerous threat to the trust and confidence in our democracy. We, the stakeholders at IPAC, demand that the EC uphold the agreement reached on May 29, 2024, which explicitly permits political party observers to observe the transfer process, to prevent gerrymandering and ensure the integrity of the electoral process,” the statement contained in some portions.
Find the full statement below:
EC’s Reckless Disregard for Agreement: A Dangerous Precedent
Election Watch Ghana is outraged and appalled by the Electoral Commission’s (EC) brazen betrayal of the agreement reached at the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on May 29, 2024, chaired by Madam Jean Mensa. The EC’s defiant refusal to allow political party observers to observe the transfer process is a blatant assault on the transparency and integrity of our electoral process, contrary to the spirit of the Constitutional provisions that established the EC to ensure credible elections.
This egregious violation of the agreement is a slap in the face to the collective will of stakeholders and a dangerous threat to the trust and confidence in our democracy. We, the stakeholders at IPAC, demand that the EC uphold the agreement reached on May 29, 2024, which explicitly permits political party observers to observe the transfer process, to prevent gerrymandering and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
Shockingly, Mr. Tetteh, the Deputy Chair of Operations, who was present at the May 29th meeting, has issued a memo to all Returning Officers (ROs) directing them to prevent political party observers from being present during the transfer process. This blatant disregard for the agreement and the democratic process is unacceptable.
As our president has rightly said, “Let us not be spectators, but citizens.” We call on all citizens to rise up and demand that the EC respect the agreement and allow political party observers to observe the transfer process. We urge political party observers to exercise their constitutional right to observe the electoral process with an eagle eye, ensuring that the integrity of the process is upheld. However, we urge them to do so within the bounds of the law, refraining from any illegal activities that could undermine the security protocols and electoral process.
We urge the EC to engage the security agencies, as we all know that whenever the EC is working at a location, that site becomes a security zone. Therefore, we plead with the EC to allow political party observers to be present and observe the process, but act in accordance with the laws of the country.
Any deviation from this decision is a treasonous act that undermines the very foundations of our democracy and perpetuates electoral manipulation. We will not tolerate any attempt by the EC to renege on this agreement and sabotage our democracy. We hold the EC responsible for any breach of peace and order during the process and demand that they respect the decision and ensure that political party observers are allowed to observe the transfer process.
We urge the security agencies to remain vigilant and take swift and decisive action against any individual or group that attempts to disrupt the electoral process. Any deviant act by any party observer must be handled with firmness and resolve to restore peace and order during the process.
