NDC backs EC on police probe into 1m excess ballots
The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it is prepared to support calls by the Electoral Commission for the Ghana Police Service to probe claims that the EC printed extra one million ballot papers, some of which were allegedly thumb-printed and stuffed in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party during the 2020 polls.
“We take note with satisfaction of Bossman Asare’s call on Ghana’s Police Service to investigate the facts put out by President Mahama. Given that President Mahama was on solid grounds when making these statements, the NDC stands ever prepared to assist in any credible investigation into the matters raised,” General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Aseidu Nketia said at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, 28 October 2021.
The NDC said the party is, however, aware that the EC’s call for a police probe “is only a red herring” because the electoral management body cannot feign ignorance of the fact that the police service is already seized with evidence in this matter.
Mr Nketia noted that on the specific printing of one million excess ballot papers, some people were arrested by the police in possession of some of the already-thumb-printed excess ballots and, therefore, the law enforcement body should be providing an update on the status of the investigation.
“All that Bossman Asare needs to do is to call on the Attorney General to ask the police to investigate the matter,” he said.
On the death of some Ghanaians during the election, Mr Nketia said “it beggars belief that Bossman Asare would now join the call for investigations into the killing of eight Ghanaians 10 whole months after the police service had assured Ghanaians it was looking into the killings.”
In Mr Nketia’s opinion, “there is no real interest on the part of the police and the government to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crimes to justice because the killings served the ends of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia and NPP Government in so far as it ensures their retention in power.”
He, thus, called on the new IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to show the same commitment “he has so far shown in bringing errant members of the society to book over misdemeanours, to the more serious crimes of extrajudicial killings.”
He reiterated the NDC’s assertion that the 2020 elections were the worst in Ghana’s history.
Mr Nketia stated that the EC “must accept this truth and work toward improving its image and regain the confidence of Ghanaians and all stakeholders.
