I have observed with keen interest the actions and inactions of the current opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the only logical conclusion is that this NDC is different.

The current crop of the party’s leadership is proactive and assertive, they pay attention to details because they are not gullible. The manner in which they scrutinise every move and direction of the Electoral Commission (EC) is exemplary and commendable.

Many have said that the EC cannot rig the election, they forget that election is not an event but a process and once the processes are tilted to favour one particular party, the election is already rigged before the first ballot paper is cast.

The current NDC appreciates this. Once bitten, twice shy, the NDC will not allow anyone to rig this election and turn around and tell them to go to court. They have shone their eyes.

There is no denying that the EC is not being truthful to the NDC in the processes leading up to the upcoming elections.

Right from the limited registration processes up to the voters register exhibition, the EC has tried to do things in a manner that raises suspicions and misgivings, but the diligence, determination and zeal of the current NDC leadership have systematically exposed the EC compelling it to beat a retreat at each stage.

Missing Equipment:

In March 2024, the minority caucus of the NDC revealed that some vital EC equipment Biometric Verification Devices (BVD) had been missing, initially, the EC disingenuously denied this, but after the minority group led by Hon. Dr Cassiel Ato Forson provided substantial evidence, the EC was compelled to admit it and later claimed an arrest has been made in that regards. If it wasn’t for the NDC no one would have known about this.
The Voters’ Register:

The EC deliberately gave the NDC a copy of the voter register a few hours before the commencement of the exhibition exercise, hoping that due to the limited time, the NDC would not be able to identify the illegal transfers which were undertaken by the EC without the consent of those who were transferred.

But the hardworking and competent national executives together with the party’s IT Team diligently identified the deliberate infractions which the EC later admitted.

There was no way we would have known about this wicked and criminal attempt to disenfranchise some Ghanaians if it wasn’t for the efforts of the NDC.

Printing of Ballot Papers:

Based on the above acts of dishonesty on the part of the EC, the NDC requested a meeting with the EC and all other political parties, and the NDC presented its facts and findings to the EC.

The EC was once again compelled to agree with the NDC because the pieces of evidence adduced were undisputable and unquestionable.

The NDC’s claims of illegal transfers and infractions in the voter register were based on facts and not on assumptions.

The EC promised to furnish the NDC and all other political parties with a certified and final register in a week’s time and that the current one was just a provisional register.

Shockingly, while the NDC and all other political parties were waiting for the certified and final register, the disingenuous and dishonest EC sent letters to all political parties on the 9th of October, 2024 urging them to present their agents on 10th of October, 2024 for induction on the printing of Notice of Polls and Ballot Papers which will commence on the 11th October, 2024 without a certified and final register.

Once again, the assertive and competent NDC leadership challenged the EC’s decision to start printing the Ballot Papers with a provisional register. The NDC asked on what basis was the EC going to print ballot papers without a certified and final register?

Sensing another embarrassment, the EC once again had to beat a retreat and cunningly claim that it was only going to print Notice of Polls and not ballot papers.

Meanwhile, paragraph 2 of the EC’s letter dated the 9th October 2024 clearly states that “the commission will commence printing of Notice of Polls and Ballot Papers for the 2024 General from Friday 11th October, 2024”.

This is an embarrassment, those at the helms of affairs at the EC are bringing down the image and reputation of the hitherto highly respected institution.

The sudden renege by the EC on the printing of Notice of Polls and Ballot Papers to only printing of Notice of Polls is as a consequence of the resilience, competence and hard work of the NDC, the current leadership of the NDC has shown that they are not pushovers.

It is high time the EC acknowledge this and stops its unnecessary machinations to systematically rig the election in favour of one particular party, it will not happen, this NDC is different, they will expose and embarrass you each time you try anything cynical.

The party should ensure that this level of competence, diligence and attention to detail trickle down to the grass root among all the polling agents in order to stop any form of rigging attempt because it is obvious that somebody wants to rig, and another somebody wants to rig it for the first somebody but somebody will not sit down for somebody to rig it.