The General Secretary of the National Peace Council, George Amoh, has affirmed the independence of the Electoral Commission, urging all stakeholders especially political parties to allow the state body to execute its constitutional mandate.
Mr Amoh’s admonition follows a barrage of attacks on the EC by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the state electoral body submitted a Constitutional Instrument (C.I) to Parliament to pass legislation that will enable citizens to use the Ghana Card and the passport for registration into the voters’ register.
The EC had scheduled the registration exercise on 18th April 2020 but was compelled to postpone the all-important exercise due to the lockdown measures instituted by the government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EC added that a new date would be announced for the exercise when restrictions are eased.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims that the use of the Ghana card in the registration process is a calculated attempt by the EC and its allies to suppress votes in its strongholds.
However, speaking in an interview on Friday, May 15, 2020, Mr Amoh advised political parties and other stakeholders to allow the Electoral Commission to do its work without fear or favour.
“The Electoral Commission has the mandate to make decisions that will maintain the peace of the country. We have to allow the EC to work according to the laws of the country. When that happens, we have to keep an eye on them to know if they are working according to the law. If they are doing their job according to the law and they are not breaching the law then we will have to allow them do their job,” he said.
Meanwhile, the EC released a statement on Friday, insisting that it is practically impossible to rig election these days.
The statement signed by Ag. Director of Public Affairs at the EC, Sylvia Annoh, said, the EC, as an independent body, is mandated to conduct free, fair and transparent elections within the confines of the law and will continue to perform its functions as such without fear or favour.
She said it is impossible for the Commission to conspire with any political party or institution as being speculated by Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo and the NDC since the electoral processes remain transparent at all levels.
