NPP is trying to rig December 7 polls - Victor Smith

Ghana’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.E. Victor Smith has opined that activities happening under the direction and watch of the ruling government confirms that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is trying to rig election 2020.

According to him, the NPP is feeling desperate because they can feel power slipping through their grasp and will attempt to do all they can to win the election but that will fail. “They have pursued NDC instead of doing the right thing and have slept on the job.”

Speaking in an interview on Happy 98.9 FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show with Afrifa-Mensah, the former ambassador said, “Intimidation is the same as trying to rig elections. And we saw the intimidation the NPP employed at the just ended registration exercise. Why must soldiers and people carry heavy weapons to these registration centers? If the gov’t of the day allows this to happen, then what is going to happen in December?”

“The walk is young but the NPP have set Ghana on a wrong path. This administration is not a normal one.”

The member of the NDC campaign team cited that what happened in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by election also can be classified as an attempt to rig elections. “We saw what happened at Ayawaso. Intimidation forms part of rigging elections. So when u go to a registration centre and you see some people armed to the teeth, it is sad. Why do you want to intimidate the people if you are running a good democracy?” he queried.

The politician revealed that even some members of the NPP have registered their displeasure with activities of their party. The well-travelled diplomat noted that in democracies around the word, you will not see armed men moving around and intimidating people during a voter registration exercise.

“Why must Ghana come to that level? Soldiers are there for external aggression. The internal security is for the police. If this is happening during a registration exercise, then how about the election?”

“We have been shown clarity by the NPP right from the Ayawaso violence and the voter registration exercise. But I fear worse for the exhibition of the voter register and the December 7th elections.”

He indicated that he has been talking to other diplomats to step in and speak against the violence in Ghana and further advised the NPP to cease trying to use the ballot box to wrestle power at all cost as “it will question Ghana’s democracy” and soil the country’s good name.