Irregularities in voters register not minor oversights or clerical errors; it is deliberate manipulation of voter database

“The irregularities in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) are not minor oversights or clerical errors; they indicate a deliberate manipulation of the voter database,” the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stated.

In a petition to the Electoral Commission as part of the Tuesday street protest the NDC stated that the EC should undertake a thorough forensic audit of the 2024 Provisional Voters Register and the EC’s Information Technology system.

“These irregularities pose a significant and immediate threat to the credibility of the 2024 General Elections. We demand that the Commission takes swift action to preserve the integrity of Ghana’s democratic process and ensure the stability and security of the nation,” it stated.

“This raises serious concerns regarding the potential for election fraud. Failure to address these significant issues promptly will
put Ghana’s democratic reputation and national stability at risk.” the party added.

The NDC said it has found in excess of 243,000 unauthorised voter transfers and that the transfers were made without the knowledge and consent of the affected voters and therefore, raise significant questions about who approved them and what role EC officials may have played in facilitating such changes.

Attached below is a copy of the full petition

PETITION FROM THE GOOD & PEACE-LOVING PEOPLE OF GHANA TO THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION FOR AN URGENT FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE 2024 VOTERS REGISTER AND ITS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) SYSTEM 

We, representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition political party in Ghana, hereby present this petition to your office regarding alarming irregularities, discrepancies and unauthorised manipulations discovered in the 2024 Provisional Voters Register.

These irregularities pose a significant and immediate threat to the credibility of the 2024 General Elections. We demand that the Commission takes swift action to preserve the integrity of Ghana’s democratic process and ensure the stability and security of the nation.

The irregularities in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) are not minor oversights or clerical errors; they indicate a deliberate manipulation of the voter database.

This raises serious concerns regarding the potential for election fraud. Failure to address these significant issues promptly will put Ghana’s democratic reputation and national stability at risk.

1.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

In preparation for Ghana’s 2024 General Elections, many Ghanaians are concerned about the accuracy and integrity of the electoral process, particularly the Provisional Voters Register (PVR).

The Electoral Commission (EC), responsible for managing the voter register, has carried out activities such as voter registration, transfers, and the Voter Exhibition Exercise. However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has found troubling discrepancies in the PVR, including unauthorised voter transfers, missing and deleted voter data, untraceable transfer paths, and corrupt files with missing names and photographs of registered voters.

While the EC has acknowledged some of these issues, it has not taken sufficient steps involving relevant stakeholders, such as carrying out a forensic audit. Moreover, the undue delay in providing the PVR to the NDC – prior to the Voter Exhibition Exercise – for scrutiny has raised additional concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. Additionally, the theft of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) equipmen under CCTV surveillance at the headquarters of the Commission is hanging.

The NDC believes that these unresolved issues could undermine the fairness and credibility of the upcoming elections. The party has consistently called for a forensic audit to ensure transparency and restore public trust, but the EC has not responded favourably.

Given the high stakes, an immediate and participatory forensic audit is essential to ensure that the elections proceed on a
foundation of fairness and credibility.

1.1 KEY ISSUES IDENTIFIED SO FAR BY THE NDC TO WARRANT FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE VOTERS’ REGISTER 

1. Unauthorized Voter Transfers: The NDC has uncovered evidence of two hundred and forty-three thousand, five hundred and forty (243,540) illegal transfers in the 2024 PVR, including repeated transfers without the knowledge of the affected voters. This raises
   questions about who authorised these transfers and the role of EC officials in this process.
2. Unidentifiable Voter Transfer Paths: Over fifteen thousand (15,000) cases of untraceable voter registration paths were identified, suggesting potential fraudulent registration or manipulation of voter data, especially when five Biometric Registration (BVR) equipment, which are laptops meant for registration of voters were stolen from the EC Headquarters under CCTV surveillance.
3. Deletion of Registered Voters: Nearly 4,000 (3,957) voters registered in 2023 have been deleted from the 2024 Provisional Register without valid justification.
4. Misplaced Voter Transfers: Approximately 2,094 voters were transferred to different polling stations but were not reflected in the Absent Voter List.
5. Corrupted Data Files: Corrupt files, including missing names and photos of registered voters, present a significant risk to the integrity of the election, particularly on voting day.
6. EC’s Delayed Transparency: The EC failed to provide the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) to the NDC in a timely manner for scrutiny, releasing the register hours before the Voter Exhibition Exercise. This hindered the party’s ability to examine the accuracy of the
   voters’ register fully.
7. Admissions by the EC of Manipulation: The EC admitted to errors and illegal voter transfers during a press conference but justified these mistakes as correctable during the exhibition exercise. However, the NDC rejects this reasoning, as the scale of the
   discrepancies in the voters’ register necessitates an independent forensic audit.
8. Impact on 2024 General Elections: These discrepancies, errors, data distortions, and irregularities threaten the credibility of the upcoming elections. The manipulation of the Voters’ Register undermines the constitutional right to vote and the integrity of the electoral process, posing a serious threat to Ghana’s democracy.

2.0 GROUNDS OF THE PETITION The NDC’s observations and analysis, grounded in verifiable data, reveal significant flaws in the Provisional Voters Register. During a press conference on 2nd September 2024, the Electoral Commission acknowledged some of these errors. However, the Commission has failed to conduct a necessary forensic audit to fully assess the scope of these irregularities.

The NDC firmly believes these discrepancies reflect systemic issues that undermine the credibility of the voters register and, by extension, the integrity of Ghana’s electoral democracy.

The Commission’s failure to adequately and transparently address these concerns has heightened suspicions of manipulation
and bias. Thus, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) submits this petition on the following grounds:

1. Failure to Provide Provisional Voters Register in Time for Scrutiny: The Electoral Commission (EC) failed to deliver the Provisional Voters Register to the NDC in a timely manner, despite assurances to the contrary. This delay, with the PVR, provided only on 19th August 2024 – one day before the Voter Exhibition Exercise denied the NDC sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive audit of the register, thus compromising transparency and undermining the ability to identify all the anomalies ahead of the exhibition exercise.
2. Discrepancies in the Voter Transfers: The NDC identified 243,540 illegal voter transfers in the 2024 Provisional Voters Register, including repeated names and transfers made without the knowledge of the voters involved. The question arises as to who effected these unauthorised transfers within the EC’s IT systems and how such transfers could occur without the involvement or knowledge of the voters, Returning Officers, or technicians. This issue is further exacerbated by the EC’s admission of similar incidents during its press conference on 2nd September 2024.
3. Unidentifiable and Missing Voter Data: The NDC identified over 15,000 instances of unidentifiable voter transfer paths, raising concerns about potential fake voter registrations, given that some voter registration laptops were stolen from the EC Headquarters.
   Additionally, 3,957 previously registered voters were deleted from the 2024 Provisional Register without explanation. Moreover, 2,094 voters were transferred to different polling stations but were not found in the Absent Voter List.
4. Corrupt and Incomplete Voter Data: The NDC discovered corrupt files in the Provisional Voters Register that do not show the names or photos of registered voters. If left uncorrected, this technical failure poses a significant risk of disenfranchisement on election day and further compromises the integrity of the voters’ register.
5. Premature Nomination Process Based on Provisional Register: In a departure from standard electoral principles, the EC opened nominations for Presidential and Parliamentary aspirants from September 9th to 13th, 2024, while the voters register was still
   in its provisional state – Nominations should be conducted using the Final Voters Register.
6. Electoral Commission’s Admission of Irregularities: The EC, through its Deputy Chairman, Dr Bossman Asare, publicly admitted to the existence of illegal voter transfers and inflations in the voter transfer list during the 2nd September 2024 Press Conference. By
   this admission, he confirmed the NDC’s position but indicated that the EC is working on it. This admission raises concerns about the security and integrity of the voter registration process and its IT SYSTEM, necessitating an immediate forensic audit to fully uncover the scope and scale of these issues.

1. Permit an Independent Forensic Audit of the Voters Register and its IT System: An independent forensic audit of the Provisional Voters Register and its IT system must be conducted to uncover the full extent of the irregularities, including unauthorised log-ins, transfers, discrepancies, and data corruption. This audit should also provide a comprehensive review of the IT infrastructure, human processes, and overall system integrity that led to these errors and discrepancies in the voters’ register. The audit should also examine both the technical and procedural vulnerabilities of the EC’s IT and Registration system,
2. Convene Stakeholders for Collaboration: The Electoral Commission should urgently convene a meeting with all political parties, civil society organizations, and key international stakeholders (including ECOWAS, AU, UNDP, EU, USAID, The British High Commission and others) to discuss the forensic audit and ensure collective oversight of the process,
3. Agree to Publish the Findings of the Forensic Audit: The results of the forensic audit must be made publicly available to ensure transparency, accountability, and confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2024 General Elections,
4. Re-exhibit the Register after the Forensic Audit: The NDC further demands a 5-day re-exhibition of the Provisional Voters Register after the forensic audit is completed. This will enable registered voters, including those affected by the errors, to verify their details and confirm the integrity of the Voters Register. Without such a re-exhibition, many legitimate voters will be disenfranchised,
5. Review and Correct All Unauthorized Transfers: Immediate steps must be taken to reverse all unauthorized voter transfers and restore the integrity of the voter transfer system. The EC must provide clear answers on the origins of these transfers, including
   identifying any technical or human causes, and correct these issues promptly,
6. Adopt a Revised Timeline for Electoral Activities: The timeline for upcoming electoral activities, including the printing of the Final Voters Register and related materials, must be reviewed and adjusted in consultation with all political stakeholders to allow sufficient time for the forensic audit, re-exhibition, and corrections without compromising the 7th December election date, and
7. Institute Accountability and Integrity Measures: The EC must institute measures to prevent future manipulation of the Voters Register. This should include a review of internal processes, improved transparency in voter registration and transfer systems, and stricter
   protocols to safeguard the integrity of the voters register.

4.0 CONCLUSION 

The integrity of Ghana’s electoral process is essential to the stability of its democracy. Given the numerous irregularities identified in the Provisional Voters Register – such as anomalies in voter registration and transfers, the loss of Biometric Voter Registration Kits, and other critical deficiencies – a comprehensive forensic audit is necessary to safeguard the credibility of the 2024 General Elections.

In the national interest, the NDC urges your esteemed office to permit a forensic audit of the voters register and its IT system as a vital step towards restoring public confidence, ensuring transparency, and upholding the democratic principles that are the cornerstone of our Republic.

The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated, particularly as the 2024 General Elections approach. We trust that this petition will receive the attention it deserves to preserve the credibility and integrity of Ghana’s democratic process.

We respectfully await your swift action on this urgent petition.

Source: graphic.com.gh