Politics of Friday, 15 May 2020

Source: GNA

NPP will win December polls based on performance - Mac-Manu

Peter Mac-Manu Peter Mac-Manu

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has refuted claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that it is colluding with the Electoral Commission (EC) to rig the December 7 Elections.

The Party said the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led Government had shown better leadership than the NDC Presidential Candidate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, and based on that the electorate would renew the mandate of the Government in the December polls.

Addressing a news conference to respond to the NDC allegations in Accra on Thursday, Mr Peter Mac-Manu, the NPP Campaign Manager for the December 2020 elections, said the Party did not need the EC to rig the polls in its favour, but would campaign to win based on its sound track record.

He recounted some achievements of the ruling government including the Free Senior High School that had enrolled 1.3 million children, employment of 100,000 graduates and the support offered to the ordinary Ghanaian during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These include the supply of free water and subsidy on electricity as well as the restoration of industry and the economy.

"So we do not need the EC to rig the elections in our favour. NPP will win the election based on our sound track record," he said.

Mr Mac-Manu noted that all the excuses the NDC was making against the compilation of a new voter's register was premised on the fact that it could not wrest power from the ruling NPP Government based on performance.

He said even though the NPP would support the EC to compile a new voter's register and election management system if the election management body wished to do so, the Party would still contest and win the December polls with or without a new voter's register.

"This is because the Ghanaian electorate have confidence in the ruling NPP government since President Akufo-Addo had shown leadership and sought the welfare of the ordinary Ghanaian over the period of his tenure," Mr Mac-Manu stated.

He recalled that since 1996 the EC had compiled a new voter's register every eight years (that is 1996, 2004 and 2012) with the idea of improving the features of the electoral register to ensure the sanctity of the elections.

He, therefore, posed these questions to the NDC: “Why is it that the NDC is against the compilation of a new voter's register that promises enhanced features? What is it about the 2012 Register that the NDC holds it so sacred? What is it that the NDC holds so sacred that if the register is replaced, it will affect the party's electoral fortunes?”

Mr Mac-Manu said the NPP was not afraid to face the Ghanaian electorate in the December polls because the Akufo-Addo-led government had distinguished itself over the period and it was evident for everyone to see and make comparison with that of the NDC.