Three political parties taking part in this year’s presidential and parliamentary election have said they are confident the results will not be free and fair.
A joint statement signed by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, flag bearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP); Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, flag bearer of the National Democratic Party (NDP); and Dr Edward Mahama, flag bearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC) said: “We … wish to put on public record that the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections will not be free and fair.”
“We make this point strongly believing that we have a responsibility as leaders of these three political parties to bring into sharp focus a number of issues that have happened that defeat our expectation or aspiration as a country to hold free and fair elections. Free and fair elections do not happen on voting days. They happen only if a number of things are in place and are guaranteed for the benefit of the all the players,” the three flag bearers said.
Below is the full statement:
STATEMENT ABOUT THE 7 DECEMBER 2016 ELECTIONS BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES OF THE NDP, PNC AND PPP
We the presidential candidates of the Progressive People’s Party, the People’s National Convention and the National Democratic Party wish to put on public record that the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections will not be free and fair. Free and fair elections can take place when certain conditions are met. It is not limited to the electorates queuing up on 7th December, 2106, casting a ballot and for a person to be declared a winner.
We make this point strongly believing that we have a responsibility as leaders of these three political parties to bring into sharp focus a number of issues that have happened that defeat our expectation or aspiration as a country to hold free and fair elections. Free and fair elections do not happen on voting days. They happen only if a number of things are in place and are guaranteed for the benefit of the all the players.
First of all political parties and candidates must be given a fair opportunity to campaign and send their messages to the electorates for informed choices to be made.
The three of us have had a terrible experience of spending close to six weeks in court litigating against the unnecessary attempted disqualification of our candidature as part of a deliberate scheme to frustrate our efforts in this election.
This has brought us untold hardships financially, emotionally and taken energy and precious time from our campaigns. The Electoral Commission (EC) decided to utilise the regulations guiding the conduct of the 2016 elections as an oppressive tool to punish and deny us equal opportunity to campaign during the critical times of the campaign season.
If a party in a competition loses six weeks of campaign time whilst spending on legal fees that where not budgeted for but occasioned by a frivolous scheme designed to frustrate and deny us fair opportunity to participate in the elections, how can anyone say that this election is and will be free and fair?
Secondly, we would expect under normal circumstances that, the Electoral Commission will be a fair and impartial referee whose only interest would be to comply with the provisions of the CI 94 which conduct will ensure certainty and predictability in the processes leading up to the elections.
As we speak, the EC has been inconsistent in the supply of information to the political parties on the number of voters registered for the special voting exercise. The new allegation that the Ghana Police Service is adding more names to the special list, long after the deadline passed is disturbing to say the least. The question is which other groups of people have been allowed to add to the list after the deadline?
The EC has clearly disregarded the relevant portions of CI94 (regulation 23) to have entertained the latest applications from the Police Service.
If the rules of the game can be twisted and turned by the referee as and when it pleases, can we then say that the elections will be free and fair when we do not know what illegal steps will be taken in the process leading up to the elections? Some of our parliamentary candidates have been disqualified without due process.
We are also aware that the EC chair has announced the intention to recount the ballots depending on some circumstances which are not backed by law. We believe this is another tool to be deployed in favour of particular candidate if the results do not go in his favour. This attempt to change the results through a purported recounting is a recipe for chaos and civil disobedience.
Thirdly, this election has witnessed the clearest ever abuse of incumbency on the part of the NDC and the use the State's security agencies and party thugs to intimidate other opponents.
A free and fair election environment will require an atmosphere of fairness in the application of the EC's laws on political party funding. The EC has gone to sleep and allowed the NDC to use state funds to buy votes without questioning them. More so, the state's security apparatus has been used to harass and intimidate opponents of the ruling government.
We have shown resilience in the face of these problems and have demonstrated leadership in controlling our supporters to do their best possible to participate in this process of a semblance of an election.
But more importantly, we are placing on record for the civil society, the National Peace Council, the CODEO and the international community to take steps to reverse these disturbing trends so that we can have proper free and fair elections in the future since free and fair elections for 7th December 2016 have escaped us.
Edward Nasigrie Mahama
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings Papa Kwesi Nduom
24 November 2016
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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But is it by force to contest in this year's elections. Nobody told you people to contest, you guys thought the race was for small boys. Now the men are being separated from the boys so keep mute and contest.
3 musketeers, I shear ur pain and frustration. i also acknowledge ur part u play for our young democracy.But u see, i believe in God and Him alone is free and fair trust me.I rather want to believe that u can exploit other options if your real focus is to see change.5 fine round heads are beta than 1 bolt and n......
NDC knows that only jobless people vote for them. That is why no holiday for DEC. 7 so that middle class and business people will not have time to go and vote. Ghanaian, working class and business men, the best thing you can do for your business and future is to go and vote out NDC. Even if it takes the whole day. That will be the best investment ever.
If that is the way the three feel then they may just withdraw and support the main opposition.Afterall all 3 cannot get even 1% together.Waste of time and space.
See these disturbing commentaries coming from people who do not believe in competitive election. Once the processes favour them, all others can go to hell. Can we imagine people like these entrusted with the future of our children and their children's children? I fear for our future generations.
EC IN AFARI GYAN ERA ALWAYS RIGGED ELECTION FOR NDC. NDC SUCCEEDED TO RIG THE ELECTIONS ANY TIME THEY GET A BIG MARGIN OF FRAUD. THEY LOSE WHEN THE MARGIN IS SMALL. IN 2012 THE ELECTORAL REGISTER INCLUDED OVER HALF A MILLION OF FAKE NAMES. SINCE REGISTRATION OF VOTERS TAKE A LONG SPAN OF TIME NDC AND EC GOT CHILDREN, DEAD PEOPLE AND UNQUALIFIED NAMES IN THE REGISTER. SINCE ELECTION IS ONE DAY IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO USE MANY OF SUCH NAMES TO VOTE WITH BIO SYSTEM. THE EFFORT TO USED WRONG PEOPLE FOR THE FAKE NAMES CAUSED THE DELAY IN THE VOTING PROCESS ESPECIALLY WHERE MORE OF SUCH FRAUD IS COMMITTED. IN 2012 ELECTIONS IT WAS NOT GOING WELL FOR NDC SO EC, THE PRESIDENT AND SOME NDC CHIEFS INSTRUCTED THAT THE RULES FOR THE THE BIO METRIC PROCESS SHOULD BE RELAXED. THIS ENABLED NDC TO VOTE WITH THE FAKE NAMES WITHOUT BIO METRIC RULES. THE INSTRUCTION, WAS GIVEN ONLY TO SOME SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY WITH NDC STRONGHOLDS WHEN AT THE END OF 2012 ELECTION DAY, IT WAS STILL CLEAR THAT NDC WAS LOOSING, THE EC EXTENDED THE ELECTIONS TO ANOTHER DAY AT THE SAME PLACES WHERE BIO METRIC RULES HAD BEEN RELAXED TO ALLOW RIGGING. THIS ENABLED NDC TO WIDEN THE MARGIN OF THE RIGGING TO BRING THEM UP ON TOP OF THE ELECTIONS. IT WAS WELL CALCULATED AND SYSTEMATICALLY PLANNED BY NDC WITH EC. NPP AND OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES ALWAYS HAVE THE FEELING OF EC AND NDC GOING TO RIG THE ELECTIONS BUT THEY NEVER KNOW HOW EXACTLY THEY WOULD DO IT UNTIL IT IS DONE. NOW EVERYBODY IS DEMANDING THAT BIO METRIC SYSTEM MUST BE USED ACROSS BOARD AND THAT ALL THE ELECTIONS MUST TAKE PLACE IN ONE DAY, WHICH MUST NOT BE COMPROMISED. AT THE SAME TIME THE OPPOSITION PARTIES FEAR THAT THE EC MAY DELAY ELECTION EQUIPMENT TO THEIR STRONGHOLDS AND GIVE THEM FAULTY MACHINES AND INCOMPETENT ELECTION OFFICERS. WELL, ANY OF THE TWO CONCERNS ARE VERY GENUINE BUT THE PARTIES MUST BE VIGILANT AND DEAL WITH EACH PARTICULAR CASE AT A POLLING STATION. BIO METRIC MUST BE USED THROUGHOUT. ALL THE ELECTIONS IN ONE DAY. NO CHANGE OF RULES IN THE MIDDLE OF ELECTIONS. THE ATTITUDE OF CURRENT EC IN HANDLING ISSUES OF POLITICAL PARTIES HAS NOT SHOWN ANY GOODWILL TOWARDS OPPOSITION PARTIES. THEY HAVE ONLY BEEN SAVED BY RESORTING TO LAW COURT. THE EC WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT ON THE ELECTION DAY. IT IS ONLY BY STRICT APPLICATION OF THE ELECTORAL LAWS THAT CAN WRESTLE POWER FROM EC AND NDC. ANY GENTLEMAN AGREEMENT TO BE PROPOSE BY EC ALONG THE WAY, FROM NOW TO ELECTIONS, HAS A HIDDEN AGENDA FOR NDC, THOUGH THE PROPOSAL MIGHT NOT COME FROM THE LATTER.
EC IN AFARI GYAN ERA ALWAYS RIGGED ELECTION FOR NDC. NDC SUCCEEDED TO RIG THE ELECTIONS ANY TIME THEY GET A BIG MARGIN OF FRAUD. THEY LOSE WHEN THE MARGIN IS SMALL. IN 2012 THE ELECTORAL REGISTER INCLUDED OVER HALF A MILLION OF FAKE NAMES. SINCE REGISTRATION OF VOTERS TAKE A LONG SPAN OF TIME NDC AND EC GOT CHILDREN, DEAD PEOPLE AND UNQUALIFIED NAMES IN THE REGISTER. SINCE ELECTION IS ONE DAY IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO USE MANY OF SUCH NAMES TO VOTE WITH BIO SYSTEM. THE EFFORT TO USED WRONG PEOPLE FOR THE FAKE NAMES CAUSED THE DELAY IN THE VOTING PROCESS ESPECIALLY WHERE MORE OF SUCH FRAUD IS COMMITTED. IN 2012 ELECTIONS IT WAS NOT GOING WELL FOR NDC SO EC, THE PRESIDENT AND SOME NDC CHIEFS INSTRUCTED THAT THE RULES FOR THE THE BIO METRIC PROCESS SHOULD BE RELAXED. THIS ENABLED NDC TO VOTE WITH THE FAKE NAMES WITHOUT BIO METRIC RULES. THE INSTRUCTION, WAS GIVEN ONLY TO SOME SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY WITH NDC STRONGHOLDS WHEN AT THE END OF 2012 ELECTION DAY, IT WAS STILL CLEAR THAT NDC WAS LOOSING, THE EC EXTENDED THE ELECTIONS TO ANOTHER DAY AT THE SAME PLACES WHERE BIO METRIC RULES HAD BEEN RELAXED TO ALLOW RIGGING. THIS ENABLED NDC TO WIDEN THE MARGIN OF THE RIGGING TO BRING THEM UP ON TOP OF THE ELECTIONS. IT WAS WELL CALCULATED AND SYSTEMATICALLY PLANNED BY NDC WITH EC. NPP AND OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES ALWAYS HAVE THE FEELING OF EC AND NDC GOING TO RIG THE ELECTIONS BUT THEY NEVER KNOW HOW EXACTLY THEY WOULD DO IT UNTIL IT IS DONE. NOW EVERYBODY IS DEMANDING THAT BIO METRIC SYSTEM MUST BE USED ACROSS BOARD AND THAT ALL THE ELECTIONS MUST TAKE PLACE IN ONE DAY, WHICH MUST NOT BE COMPROMISED. AT THE SAME TIME THE OPPOSITION PARTIES FEAR THAT THE EC MAY DELAY ELECTION EQUIPMENT TO THEIR STRONGHOLDS AND GIVE THEM FAULTY MACHINES AND INCOMPETENT ELECTION OFFICERS. WELL, ANY OF THE TWO CONCERNS ARE VERY GENUINE BUT THE PARTIES MUST BE VIGILANT AND DEAL WITH EACH PARTICULAR CASE AT A POLLING STATION. BIO METRIC MUST BE USED THROUGHOUT. ALL THE ELECTIONS IN ONE DAY. NO CHANGE OF RULES IN THE MIDDLE OF ELECTIONS. THE ATTITUDE OF CURRENT EC IN HANDLING ISSUES OF POLITICAL PARTIES HAS NOT SHOWN ANY GOODWILL TOWARDS OPPOSITION PARTIES. THEY HAVE ONLY BEEN SAVED BY RESORTING TO LAW COURT. THE EC WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT ON THE ELECTION DAY. IT IS ONLY BY STRICT APPLICATION OF THE ELECTORAL LAWS THAT CAN WRESTLE POWER FROM EC AND NDC. ANY GENTLEMAN AGREEMENT TO BE PROPOSE BY EC ALONG THE WAY, FROM NOW TO ELECTIONS, HAS A HIDDEN AGENDA FOR NDC, THOUGH THE PROPOSAL MIGHT NOT COME FROM THE LATTER.
What is wrong if the electio is rigged in favor of John Mahama? Look carefully into the eyes of all the candidates contesting the president and you will see cripples, sleepers, menopausal Down syndromes, psychopaths and hallucinators. I don't think Ghana is ready to handle all these sick people. They should give us a break.
I cannot believe almost everyone that has commented has failed to acknowledge that these guys have been wronged whichever way it is looked at and that need to be compensated...they did not get the chance to campaign did they? If I was the moderator, I would sieve these comments and only allowed informed ones. these are misleading
It is a shame these guys are issuing this statement to discredit the election results. You are afraid that you will not make any impact inspite of the loud noise you make. After all we know your track record in elections. The three of you together can only manage 1% of total votes cast. Please withdraw from the race and join NPP.