EC refute NDC's ALLEGATION over Voters' Register Exhibition Exercise 'BREACH'

The Electoral Commission of Ghana has refuted allegations levied against them by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for breach of regulations regarding the ongoing voters register exhibition exercise.

The NDC sued the Commission for failing to provide the party with a provisional copy of the voters register for guidance in the ongoing exercise, which ends on Friday. According to the party chairman, Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the party were obligated to go to court because the Commission has breached section 22 of the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 91. 

He added that the party has detected attempts by the leadership of the EC to deny it the very essential document, which will be used to determine the outcome of the general and parliamentary elections in 2020, hence the decision of its legal team to settle the issue in court.

"In the circumstance, we have been compelled to go to court to seek an order directed at the EC, to among others, give us copies of the register as required by law,” he spoke whiles addressing the media.

According to the acting Director of the EC, Sylvia Annoh, in a statement “The EC makes it clear that (Article 22(1) of the C.I. 91) mandates the EC to provide a copy of the provisional register to political parties no later than three months of the end of the registration exercise. For the information of the general public, the voter's registration exercise took place from 17th June - 7th July. This means the EC has until the end of September to submit the provisional register to the NDC. This will be done before then".

"Like all other political parties, the EC would have expected the NDC to use dialogue channels open and available or other established lines of communication to address their concerns. Unfortunately, the NDC continues to use the medium of the media to raise concerns which can easily be resolved after deliberations with the Electoral Commission".