Don't use 2020 election petition outcome as excuse to boycott IPAC meetings - NDC told

The Director of Elections for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Evans Nimako, has charged the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against using the outcome of the 2020 election petition as the reason for boycotting IPAC meetings organised by the Electoral Commission (EC).

According to him, inasmuch as the opposition has the right to boycott IPAC meetings, it should consider the interest of Ghanaians to see credible elections being organised in the country as it aspires to lead Ghanaians one day.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Mr Evans Nimako insisted that the NDC should not make an excuse with the ruling of the 2020 election petition to boycott IPAC meetings as the opposition had every opportunity and ample time to make their case in the Supreme Court particularly when the Chairperson of EC, Mrs. Jean Mensa decided not to mount the witness box.

“You went to the Supreme Court with a petition and the accused person in the case says she has nothing to say in defence and so the court should pronounce its judgment based on the petition. When the woman said she was not going to talk, the NDC should have been happy because you had ample time to narrate your case to the Supreme Court,” he averred.

He further stated that the opposition NDC is still creating the impression that the EC cheated them in the 2020 general election.

“The NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo after winning the position stated that the NDC was going to set up an election task force in all the polling stations in the country. The Director of Elections, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah announced that they are going to send lawyers to all the collation centres,” he mentioned, asking how they failed to ensure that they get fair results.

Asiedu Nketia's sleepless nights

He, however, blamed the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who coordinated the Presidential Election for Mr John Dramani Mahama for the second defeat of their Presidential Candidate in the Supreme Court.

He said that the NDC Chief Scribe misled the NDC Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama into believing that he has a chance to overturn the declared 2020 Presidential results announced by the Electoral Commission (EC) in the Supreme Court.

The Director of Elections for the ruling NPP intimated that the General Secretary of the opposition NDC cannot sleep after he assured former President John Dramani Mahama of a sound victory in the Supreme Court, but turned out to be the worse star witness.

“Asiedu Nketia cannot sleep because of the assurance and the motivation he gave to John Dramani Mahama; he misled and pushed him to go to the Supreme Court. When they went to court, Asiedu Nketia was the star witness and so whatever he said in court was what the 7 Supreme Court judges based on to give their verdict on the petition. And so, Asiedu Nketia cannot sleep for disappointing John Dramani Mahama,” he claimed.

Assessment of the 2020 general election

The Electoral Commission at a two-day workshop which ended on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 conducted an assessment of the 2020 general election, stated its achievement and also made certain electoral reforms.

But addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, 20 May 2021 in reaction to the statement put out by the EC, NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo disclosed that the NDC has established its own committee to propose electoral reforms which it will put out soon for further deliberations.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proposed six reforms the party thinks the Electoral Commission (EC) should consider.

They are the need for a legal backing to the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).

According to the NDC, the legal backing, should be such that it will not encroach on the constitutional independence of the EC.

As of now, IPAC is only an advisory body and decisions taken at IPAC meetings are not binding on the EC and the NDC is proposing a legal framework which will ensure that IPAC decisions do not only remain as an advise.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, (May 20, 2021) the Director of Elections of the NDC, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said the party was also proposing the adoption of an equitable voting formula for political parties at IPAC deliberations based on their representation in Parliament.