Three Ghanaian opposition candidates who were disqualified from running in next month’s presidential and parliamentary elections say they are concerned the vote is unlikely to be fair or credible. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP) voiced their concerns about the December 7 vote recently in a joint statement. They blamed the Electoral Commission for what they called poor prevailing conditions that could undermine the integrity of the polls. “If the rules of the game can be twisted and turned by the referee as and when it pleases, can we then say that the elections will be free and fair, when we do not know what illegal steps will be taken in the process leading up to the elections? Some of our parliamentary candidates have been disqualified without due process,” they said.
“We are also aware that the EC chair has announced the intention to recount the ballots depending on some circumstances which are not backed by law. We believe this is another tool to be deployed in favor of a particular candidate if the results do not go in his favor,” they said. “This attempt to change the results through a purported recounting is a recipe for chaos and civil disobedience.”
Eric Dzakpasu, a commission spokesman, disagreed. In an interview with VOA, he said the commission would not be deterred from carrying out its constitutional mandate, which he said was to organize next month’s elections. “The Electoral Commission is focused, and it is applying the rules and regulations of the elections to the letter,” he said.
PNC national chairman Bernard Mornah told VOA the commission erred in its decision to disqualify the three presidential candidates, saying the move negatively affected their campaigns.
Full Article: Ghana Opposition Expresses Concern About Credibility of Election.
