Voter Transfer Saga: NPP announces withdrawal of agents

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced that it will adhere to a directive by the Electoral Commission of Ghana for political parties to withdraw their agents from centres in the ongoing voter transfer exercise.

According to the Director of Elections of the NPP, Evans Nimako, the decision to allow political party agents observe the voter transfer exercise was a compromise and not a legal requirement, as being asserted by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Nimako, who made these remarks during an interview on Neat FM, on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, added that the EC has every right to revoke the compromise because it is leading to violence.

"We took a compromised position to allow agents to observe the exercise, but if this has resulted in fights, why should it be changed? Where have you heard the NPP saying we would not adhere to the EC’s directive?

"The law gives the EC the power to transfer votes. If it does it, and you think it wasn't done well, you have the right to challenge. But the time for a challenge is not when the exercise is ongoing. What you have to do is to request the transfer list and raise an objection," he said in Twi.

He added, "The election victory God is going to give us is not going to be by violence. We're not violent people; we are going to work with what the law says."

Asked whether his party has withdrawn their agents from the voter transfer centres, Nimako said, "That is the truth."

Background:

The EC ordered its regional directors to prevent political parties from observing the ongoing voter transfer exercise.

The order comes after reports of violence at a number of centres where voter transfer exercises are taking place, including the Kasoa EC office.

There, for instance, a son of the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, was reportedly stabbed during an altercation with some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday, June 2, 2024, over the transfer of voters to the Awutu Senya East Constituency.

In a letter to its regional directors, which was shared by Oyerepa TV, the EC ordered its district officers not to allow agents of the various political parties to observe the voter transfer exercise.

"The Commission's attention has been drawn to the violent clashes occurring at some of the District Offices as a result of the transfer of votes exercise.

"Regional Directors are to inform District Officers not to allow agents of political parties to observe the transfer of votes exercise with effect from tomorrow, Monday, June 3, 2024," parts of the letter, dated Sunday, June 2, 2024, read.

The commission indicated there was no need for the transfer exercise to be monitored because political parties would be given the list of persons who have been transferred upon request.

"Pursuant to Regulation 22 (8) of C.I. 127, Returning Officers are required to give copies of the transferred voters' list to political parties and candidates upon request. District Officers should ensure that they strictly adhere to this requirement," the statement added.

Watch a video of Nimako's remarks below:



BAI/AE

Watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below:

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.