Rigging in an election starts with processes - Group to EC

The Executive Director of Care for Free and Fair Elections-Ghana, Mr David Kumi Addo, has negated claims by the elections management body, Electoral Commission (EC), that elections are only won at the polling stations.

According to CARE-Ghana, the processes leading to the organisation of elections can result in the rigging of an election in favour of a particular candidate.

The Executive Director said the manipulation of an impending election starts with the processes for the election.

The Executive Director negated the claims of the EC's Director of Electoral Services while speaking in an interview on the mid-day news on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.

He noted that voter suppression is also a form of rigging.

The executive director was reacting to the comment by the Director of Electoral Services at the EC; Dr Serebour Quaicoe, that the newly appointed commissioner, Dr Peter Appiahene, is no threat to elections in the country.

The Director of Electoral Services at the EC speaking on Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM said that Dr Appiahene cannot do anything to influence elections at the EC.

He further assured Ghanaians that there is no course for alarm in the appointment of Dr Appiahene if he is even a known New Patriotic Party member or affiliate.

He called on the political parties to do their work diligently adding that elections are won at the polling station level.

"We sit at the top and we cannot do anything because elections are won at the polling station," he said, adding that: "Dr Afari Gyan who was appointed by NDC was here as chairman and the New Patriotic Party won an election. In the same vein, Madam Charlotte Osei was here and the NPP won an election again.

"Party people must endeavour to get the results at the polling station level. It is the reason why when parties go to court, they tend to lose the case because they have results contrary to that of the EC’s results," he asserted.

Reacting further, Mr Addo said Dr Quaicoe's message is not credible.

According to him, Dr Appiahene’s appointment formed part of the state capture to weaken the independence of the EC.