The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sent strong words of warning to the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC) over their stance to restrict voters’ registration to the district offices of the Commission.

The Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, during an emergency press conference today, Tuesday, September 12, 2023 stated that the Electoral Commission’s unflinching position on the voters’ registration exercise is a sign of its determination to rig the 2024 elections for the NPP but they will not allow it.

Asiedu Nketiah further stated that the NDC will block every channel that will allow the EC orchestrate the 2024 general elections in favour of the New Patriotic Party.

The NDC’s stance is on the back of the Electoral Commission’s limited voters’ registration exercise which commenced today despite the outcry against it.

“This irresponsible and unconscionable decision of the commission confirms the NDC’s long-held view that the Jean Mensa-led EC is determined to rig the 2024 elections through voter suppression. But she will fail because we are ready for them,” Asiedu Nketiah argued.

“Aside from its potential to suppress registration and voting, the EC’s decision to restrict voter registration to its district offices can promote and facilitate gerrymandering as agents of political parties will find it difficult to challenge persons who may be bused from one constituency to another to register,” he added.

Background

The Electoral Commission of Ghana announced that it would commence a registration exercise for eligible Ghanaians who turned 18 years old after the 2020 registration exercise and other eligible voters who could not register on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, who made this disclosure at a press briefing in Accra, dubbed, ‘Let the Citizen Know’, on August 17, 2023, indicated that the registration exercise would end on Monday, October 2, 2023.

She added that the exercise would be held at all the 268 district offices of the EC across the country.

“The voter’s registration exercise will afford Ghanaians who have attained the age of 18 years, since the last registration of 2020 and others who are more than 18 years, but for various reasons couldn’t register during the 2020 registration exercise.

“The EC will embark on voter registration in all 268 district offices of the commission. The exercise will be held from September 12 to October 2,” she said.

However, five opposition political parties jointly filed an injunction to halt the ongoing limited voters' registration exercise.

The five political parties that have come together to file this injunction are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Progressive People's Party (PPP), Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC), and All People’s Congress (APC).

They describe the exercise by the Electoral Commission as an unlawful and unreasonable decision to restrict centres for the upcoming Limited Voter Registration exercise to their District Offices.

According to them, the EC’s decision to restrict the centres of voter registration to their district offices has the potential to deprive many eligible voters of their right to be registered as voters and to vote in public elections.

In the writ by the parties, they stated “a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of articles 45(a) and 42 the constitution, the decision of the 2nd Defendant to undertake the 2023 limited/continues voter registration at the District offices of the 2nd Defendant instead of undertaking same on the basis of electoral areas will result in voter suppression particularly in rural constituencies of the country, and is thus unconstitutional as it violates the rights of the first-time voters to register and vote,” part of the writ stated.

The court is yet to rule on the applications.

BAJ/OGB