The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Hohoe, Worlanyo Tsekpo says the largest opposition party will not succumb to schemes to rig the 2024 general elections.
According to him, the NDC is well prepared to meet the NPP squarely on December 7th and ensure the will of the people manifests in the results of the elections, hereby ensuring a free, fair, and credible exercise.
M was speaking at a press conference in Hohoe where the NDC said it had identified anomalies in the provisional electoral roll provided by the Electoral Commission (EC).
He stressed that the NPP would not have a field day as it did in 2020, leading to their victory and snatching of the parliamentary seat from the NDC, after occupying it for over 30 years in the 4th Republic.
“There were some things that happened in 2020. They [NPP] had their way in 2020 to misbehave. This time around, it [plans] will remain in their homes.
“We will not wait and settle anything at the police station. We will not wait and settle anything at EC’s office. We will settle it where the thing happened.
“2024 elections, as a parliamentary candidate, I want to tell the NPP, I want to tell the security agencies in Hohoe, Electoral Commissioners, all the stakeholders that everything should be free and fair, if not we will settle everything the brutal way!”, he stressed.
Addressing the press, the Hohoe NDC Constituency Secretary, Prosper Kumi outlined mass transfer of voters, duplication of details with different voters’ IDs, foreigners on the register, and maintaining names of deceased among others as anomalies identified in the constituency’s provisional voters’ register, after scrutiny.
“The most shocking one is the blatant frown on the law at Wli Todzi, where the number of people on the voters register is three times more than the estimated population census figures of 2023.
“How can the counting of the statistical service estimate: that considers every citizen and residence of all ages to be less than those who are 18 years plus?
“The voter’s register of Wli Todzi has 2,568 and the population census estimate is 887. Our work reveals that foreigners are on the register. I am not sure any well-meaning citizen will accept this document going into such a crucial election”, he added.
He said the register contained names transferred from Buem, Afadzato South, Kpando, and Ayawasu Constituencies among others.
Mr Kumi also indicated there have been discrepancies in the provisional register provided to the NDC by the EC and the one used for the voters register exhibition exercise.
“The total number of registered voters at polling stations in the Electoral Commission’s (EC) register, as issued to their officials for the exhibition exercise, does not match at certain polling stations with the figures provided to us as a political party. This inconsistency raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the electoral register”, he said.
He indicated that some of these irregularities could lead to multiple voting which could affect the credibility of the elections.
“Our analysis has revealed that some individuals are listed on both the transfer register and the special voters register. This overlap creates a significant risk of multiple voting, where a single individual could cast more than one vote in the same election.
“Let us not forget that the special voting is on December 2, and the main voting is on the 7th. Once again, this could undermine the credibility of the electoral process and compromise the outcome of the elections”, he noted.
Mr Kumi also requested the EC to invite political parties to participate in the training sessions for electoral officers and entreated professional bodies including security services to remain neutral during the elections.
He, therefore, requested a comprehensive auditing of the Hohoe Constituency Voters’ register to rid it of the irregularities and ensure a credible electoral roll is provided for the December 7th elections.
“A forensic audit should be done on the Wli Todzi register to give all of us a credible document we can trust going into 2024. We seek the attention of all the peace-preaching institutions to sincerely take our demands seriously. Let us not sweep them under the carpet and pay lip service to them. NDC will defend the will of the people at any time.
“For those who do not trust in their shadow achievements and want to resort to insults, falsehoods, and brags, we are already ahead on the field, meet us on the way if you can”, he concluded.
Source: myjoyonline.com
