Executive Director of Danquah Institute, Richard Ahiagbah says the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former President John Dramani Mahama are a bunch of “disgruntled” entities “trying their maximum best to instigate unnecessary public confusion”.

Richard Ahiagbah was reacting to the NDC’s claim that the Electoral Commission (EC) plans to rig the 2020 elections for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has said the EC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) are in cahoots with the incumbent government scheming to “rig the 2020 elections and hold on to power at all cost”.

But in a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, Richard Ahiagbah said it is “obvious that the accusations leveled against the Electoral Commission and the President by the NDC, is an attack on President Akufo-Addo to taint his political reputation, and to undermine the electoral process of the country. The NDC connecting the President to an allegation leveled against the EC is a clear sign of a disgruntled opposition party trying their maximum best to instigate unnecessary public confusion”.

“John Mahama knows that the “Electoral Commission is independent and does not consult the President on anything” (Mahama’s own words in 2016). Why then would the NDC claim that the president is in alliance with the EC to rig the elections, particularly when he stated himself that the president and the EC are separate bodies?” the statement further read.

Mr. Ahiagbah also alluded to former President John Mahama’s remarks in 2016 about the Electoral Commission.

“Ghana’s electoral system is one of the best in the world. Note my words, not in Africa, in the world because it has inherent instruments for guaranteeing its integrity,” This was the strong declaration about Ghana’s electoral system made by John Mahama on November 18, 2016.

His conviction is that the Electoral Commission cannot rig elections. What then is his basis for claims of a possible rig of the upcoming general elections? If Ghana has “inherent instruments” that ensure the integrity of its elections, as Mahama emphatically stated, how then can it be rigged? Simply because he is now in the opposition, and perhaps scared of losing the elections, suddenly he is claiming the electoral system that he has such strong faith in cannot be trusted? This just shows a dishonest and untrustworthy person who is willing to contradict his own words, even if he knows the truth, to advance his political agenda.

Read below the full statement

“Ghana’s electoral system is one of the best in the world. Note my words, not in Africa, in the world because it has inherent instruments for guaranteeing its integrity”. This was the strong declaration about Ghana’s electoral system made by John Mahama on November 18, 2016.

It is also obvious that the accusations levelled against the Electoral Commission and the President by the NDC, is an attack on President Akufo-Addo to taint his political reputation, and to undermine the electoral process of the country. The NDC connecting the president to an allegation levelled against the EC is a clear sign of a disgruntled opposition party trying their maximum best to instigate unnecessary public confusion. John Mahama knows that the “Electoral Commission is independent and does not consult the President on anything” (Mahama’s own words in 2016). Why then would the NDC claim that the president is in alliance with the EC to rig the elections, particularly when he stated himself that the president and the EC are separate bodies?

Also, the main argument used by the NDC, which is that many citizens have not been issued with the Ghana Cards, and as a result will ‘automatically’ lead to a rig in the elections, is inaccurate. In the new amendment being sought, there are three provisions; a passport, a national identification card, and a voter registration identification guarantee form completed and signed by two registered voters. This in effect means that contrary to the picture that the NDC is painting, citizens who do not have a passport or the Ghana Card would still be able to vote.

It is very disturbing and rather misleading for the NDC to cause a public confusion regarding the requirements to vote. Instead of embarking on this pointless crusade, it would be most prudent if NDC parliamentarians give their consent to move forward with the new amendment in order to facilitate the electoral process in a timely manner, and to provide voting rights to the over 1 million people who have turned 18 and are unregistered.