How can aspirants file nomination without final register? - NDC quizzes EC

General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has raised issues with the Electoral Commission’s planned filing of nominations which begins today.

The chief scribe of the NDC says there are big issues surrounding the exercise.

Per his interpretation, the filing of nominations cannot be valid because the EC has not completed the registration and compilation of the final register.

He argued that before a candidate files, he or she must be a registered voter with his or name captured in the final register.

"We have not completed the registration exercise. We do not have a final register and so, who are those going to file their nominations and what would be the basis for them to file? Are they going to file with a provisional register?" he said.

Adding that, "I have already opined that this Electoral Commissioner came purposely to create problems for our democracy and engage in activities that will lead to flawed election”.

He stressed the only legal register through which candidates can file is the old register, a situation he is unfortunate because the EC cannot accept filing based on an old register and use a new register for an election.

"It is a major issue,” he told host Kwabena Agyapong.

All these things he alleged forms part of an agenda by the government in collaboration with the judiciary, security agencies and others to manipulate the election.

"This is an agenda by the government with support from the EC, judiciary, security agencies that this is the way they will manipulate the election. This sis why when we present a case in court, they throw it out. Have you heard in Ghana’s history that you can file when we do not have a final register?”

He further raised questions on the situation where a candidate files but later the persons who endorsed his forms get their names expunged from the register.

"Will the candidate be qualified to contest in such a scenario or not? This is how the EC is destroying our democracy”.