The NDC, led by its National Chairman Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, embarked upon a nation-wide demonstration on September 17, 2024 in all regional capitals, dubbed ‘enough is enough’, to press home the demand for a forensic audit of the Voters’ Register which has been compiled by the Electoral Commission (EC). Except for the reported clashes of the demonstrators with the Police in Kumasi, the demonstrations ended without major incidents.
Unfortunately, the demonstration called “democracy hub demonstration” in Accra four days later turned nasty with the police arresting 39 demonstrators.
The keys to a police vehicle which was removed by one Oliver Barker-Vormawor at Accra 37 Military Hospital junction and thrown away made the news.
It is recalled that the demand for forensic audit of the Voters’ Register by the NDC is not the first because the NPP made a similar request in 2015. OnOctober 20, 2015, the IEA organised a National Debate to discuss an alleged bloated voters’ register made by the NPP who demanded a forensic audit.
The NDC, then ruling government, boycotted the event on the grounds that the IEA was seeking to usurp the constitutional mandate of the EC, and considered the discussions a waste of time.
The former Ghana High Commissioner to UK, Mr. Victor Smith has stated that what happened in Afghanistan, Gaza and Ukraine will happen in Ghana, if EC fails to audit voter register. What does Victor Smith think of Ghanaians? In 2015 when a similar request for forensic audit by the NPP was turned down by the EC, Ghana did not burn and, therefore, if the EC turns down the NDC’s forensic audit, nothing will happen in Ghana.
From Investopedia, a forensic audit is used to uncover criminal behaviour such as fraud or embezzlement. A forensic audit examines and evaluates a firm’s or individual’s financial records to derive evidence used in a court of law or legal proceeding. From the definition, the NDC is asking the EC to find an independent body to audit the Voters’ Register and uncover evidence of criminal activity by the EC.
This is a joke – nobody in his right senses will do this. The NDC has every right to demand an investigation into any activity of the EC, but such complaints must be laid bare by the NDC for the investigations to be conducted. No one can be guilty of criminal activity without the very activity being exposed, mentioned or described, investigated and confirmed.
To demonstrate nationwide to draw attention to an empty accusation is waste of the taxpayers’ money considering the money spent by the security agencies to monitor the demonstration to ensure that peace is maintained.
This is not surprising because the NDC at the end of the 2020 general election rushed to the Supreme Court and accused the NPP of rigging the elections. When the ‘almighty’ Asiedu Nketia mounted the witness box, he told the whole world that he had no evidence. What was the sense in rushing to the Supreme Court then?
The NDC uses demonstrations as a weapon to destabilise its opponents and create a congenial atmosphere for its political operations, because NDC does not operate comfortably in a peaceful environment.
The question is, which country has ever offered its Voters’ Register to be audited by an independent body? Will the independent body be able to carry out its audit without involving the personnel of the Electoral Commission? In both cases the answer is NO. The fact of the matter is that no Voters’ Register is perfect not even in the developed countries. To make these impossible demands suggests that the NDC has no complaints except to make trouble for the law enforcement agencies and cause mischief.
Prior to the demonstration, the EC opened its doors for the NDC to list out its observed irregularities to enable the EC to address them, but the party failed to respond to the call of the EC. There are allegations of illegal transfers of 243,540, removal of 3,957 registered names from the register and 15,000 unclear transfer paths.
The register contains approximately 23 million names of registered voters and without pointing out specific areas of alleged malpractices it will be impossible to rectify them, even if the records are handed over to the so called “independent auditors.” The EC cannot investigate empty accusations and must be left alone to concentrate on fulfilling its mandate.
Historically, all past Chairpersons of the EC had been appointed by the NDC except the current Chairperson who was appointed by the NPP. The NDC in government has always protected the EC as if it is one of its own but now crying foul because it is in opposition. The longest Chairperson, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, hermetically and fiercely resisted every effort made by political parties, especially the NPP, to have the Voters’ Register audited.
In fact, no Chairperson has ever accepted the call from any political party for forensic audit of the Voters’ Register. This call by the NDC is nothing but an attempt to divert attention to disrupt the work of the Commission.
Organising demonstrations has been the hallmark of NDC’s political strategy and a weapon to create fear, panic and divert attention amongst its opponents. The NDC is trying to use demonstrations to derail Bawumia’s train, but it will not succeed.
It is suggested that the time and money being spent to organise demonstrations be put to good use, by training supporters to be vigilant to monitor the next elections. I have been involved in our elections since 1992 and can say emphatically that Ghana’s electoral process is one of the most difficult and secured processes to rig.
Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the longest-serving Electoral Commissioner stated that in Ghana elections are won or lost at a polling station and the statement is perfectly true. The truth is that voting in our elections is partly manual and partly electronic and the possibility of hacking or electronically manipulating thevoting process is impossible.What is however possible is when agents of political parties ignore the rules and allow others to abuse it and such an action cannot be blamed on anyone.
The electoral process has gone through the mill since 1992 and several modifications have been made to make it more robust as it is today.
The electoral process only demands hard working literate and vigilant polling agents to prevent rigging. Rigging at the polling stations by the staff of the EC can only be possible if agents of political parties condone, ignore the procedures, and allow the personnel to do what pleases them. If that happens, who should bear the blame, the political parties or the EC staff? Many suggestions for electronic voting have been made in the past but it must be borne in mind that electronic voting has its shortcomings; the major one being hacking of the results, and Ghanaians must not delude themselves to believe that electronic voting is better than the semi-manual system operating in Ghana.
It must be emphasised that rigging demands the collaboration of two or more parties to make it possible or effective.One person in the process cannot rig an election and, therefore, the EC cannot rig the election on behalf of any political party, and the sooner the political parties acknowledge this fact the better for all.
The NDC has proclaimed through all the corners of the world that the outcome of the elections is a “done deal”, and so where from the panic reactions in the form of demonstrations and threats of war? The reason is simple, the confidence of the NDC has been strained and whatever the reason is, the NDC is best placed to know.
Bawumia’s train cannot be derailed by demonstrations.
Vote Bawumia!!!
Brig-Gen (Rtd) J. Odei