Security analyst, Adib Saani says it is dangerous if the electorates cannot trust the Electoral Commission (EC) ahead of the elections.

This comes on the back of the electoral governing body directing the District Offices across the country to disallow party agents from observing the ongoing vote transfer exercise.

The Electoral Commission cited violent clashes at some district officers.

But speaking on the Morning Starr with Francis Abban, Saani expressed worry over the Electoral Commission’s stances on the vote transfer exercise.

“In the spirit of transparency, there was a meeting that there will be party agents at least to make the process transparent so that everybody sees it and that nobody is up to anything.

“From the legal perspective, I wonder whether the EC has the power to do so, but from the security perspective, I think it is a dangerous move because it looks like the EC has suddenly become opportunistic and taking undue advantage of the situation to do things without the presence of political party agents,” Saani stated.

He continued: “Based on my research and the work I have done pre-Ivory Coast in 2008, pre-Kenya 2007, I do know that the most dangerous thing that can happen to our election is when the people cannot be confident in the EC’s ability to conduct a free and fair election.”

Background

The two major political parties the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) locking horns over the Electoral Commission’s directive for political parties to withdraw their agents from the ongoing voter transfer centres.

Ahead of the December 7, 2024, general election, the Electoral Commission began the transfer of votes, application for proxy voting, and replacement of lost or damaged voter ID cards on May 30, 2024, and is scheduled to end on June 14, 2024.

Per the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) governing the elections, the Electoral Commission is not obliged to admit political party agents as observers of the transfer of votes, application for proxy voting, and replacement or lost or damaged voter ID cards.

However, pursuant to Regulation 22 (8) of CI 127, EC returning officers are required to give copies of the transfer of votes list to political parties and candidates upon request.