The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei has rejected accusations from sections of the nation’s political opposition that she is working to rig this year’s elections in favour of President John Mahama.
According to her, such allegations are unfounded and she remains focused to deliver a credible election in December.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme, Madam Osei said she is optimistic that this year’s elections will be better than previous ones in terms of the processes involved.
“Criticisms in themselves are not bad. I think we need criticism to improve upon whatever we are doing. The problem is unfounded allegations, comments that are without bases. Some are just malicious. Some are just mischievous.When it comes to Charlotte Osei rigging the election, it is important that we focus on the process and not the person. I believe that we should have a process that is so strong that regardless of how malevolent Charlotte Osei wants to be she should not be able to rig the election and that is precisely the kind of process that we have.”
I won’t vote in 2016 elections
Madam Osei also revealed that she will not vote in Ghana’s 2016 elections.
“I will not be voting on the election day like you because I don’t want to. It is not compulsory, it is a special privilege.”
She further admonished Ghanaians to vote based on issues in the December general elections., saying “Who to vote for is entirely up to you but I would say that vote based on issues and where you want to see this country go and who you think can take this country there.”
Some NHIS voters might still be on register
Speaking on the Commission’s registration exercise, Madam Osei said the names of some persons who registered using the National Health Insurance card as proof of their Ghanaian citizenship might still be on the register.
“It’s possible because of the human part [involved in the process]… So it was a manual process…That is why the Supreme Court said that delete all those you have submitted including those you will find,” she said.
The Supreme Court on July 5 ordered the EC to delete such persons on the register and re-register them if they are able to proof their citizenship.
The order was made in case in which former National Youth Organiser of the People’s National Convention, Abu Ramadan and one Evans Nimako challenged the credibility of the electoral roll for the 2016 general elections.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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