Only the court has power over the EC, not the street - NPP National Youth Organiser tells NDC

The National Youth Organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Salam Mustapha has said any action taken by the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) to get the Electoral Commission to act on the voter register will be in vain unless it resorts to the court.

The largest opposition party last week Tuesday held nationwide protests against alleged voter roll irregularities, demanding an independent forensic audit to rid the register of errors for free and fair elections.

The party contends that the register is fraught with irregularities which could affect about 300,000 votes and ultimately affect the credibility of the pending polls.

The irregularities, the NDC itemised include 243,540 previous transfers illegally added to 2024 transfers, over 15,000 unidentifiable voter transfers paths, 3,957 names deleted from the roll, 2,094 voters transferred to different polling stations and corrupt files.

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the NDC’s Director of Elections and IT, told participants at the meeting in  Accra on Monday, September 23, 2024, that the NDC was uncovering more irregularities and an audit of the voter roll and the Electoral Commission’s IT system would put all minds at ease for a smooth poll on December 7.

But the NPP National Youth Organiser, Salam Mustapha in an interview on Asempa FM monitored by GhanaWeb accused the NDC of taking Ghanaians on a fishing expedition.

He encouraged the NDC to sit with the EC and challenge them with the evidence the party claims it has in its possession.

"It's not that we have no problems with the register, any person who attends IPAC meeting will tell you that we have disagreement with the Electoral Commission. But some of the issues we don't make them public. This particular one is one of a fishing expedition that the NDC wants to take everybody. It is a roller coaster wild goose chase. When we pinned the Electoral Commission down in 2015 we provided them with evidence. So if you claim you have uncovered one or two irregularities and the EC says come over, they should go and sit with them and challenge them, but you say you'll not give them any evidence.

"Secondly, the only body that has power to give directive for the EC to comply is the court and not the street. So what the NDC just did [demonstration] was mere exercise and it is good. Burning fat is good. If they don't know their way to the court, it's their own business."

KA/GA

The only person who has power over the EC is the court not the street - SALAM MUSTAPHA

NPP National Youth Organizer#Ekosiisen Nam 1 Chairman Wontumi Pray for Brighton #LetsVoteThemOut Ursula Ghana Police John Mahama pic.twitter.com/BsmH2qEnjj

— Asempa 94.7FM (@Asempa947_FM) September 27, 2024