Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed disapproval of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) plan to change the date of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
Mahama emphasized that implementing such a significant electoral reform during an election year could lead to chaos if not handled carefully.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting with clergymen and Christian community leaders in Koforidua, Eastern Region, Mahama questioned the appropriateness of the EC’s actions.
He criticised the timing of proposed changes, including the omission of indelible ink and the shift in the election date, asserting that such surprises erode people’s confidence in the electoral process.
“What the EC does sometimes does not sound right. Since we voted in 2020 and now it’s left with just nine months to this year’s general elections, you are now coming up with major changes, saying they will not introduce indelible ink and all that.
“If you do that you don’t build the confidence of the people in the electoral process. They are also saying they want to shift the election date and bring a new C.I. to change the old C.I. What we’re saying is that, why wait till now? You don’t spring surprises on people like that,” the NDC leader asserted.
The EC had earlier disclosed that approximately 60% of political parties supported its proposal to conduct the elections in November.
However, Mahama, along with the NDC and some political parties, rejected the idea, citing concerns about the limited time for the EC to organise a peaceful and successful poll.
Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, acknowledged the majority support for the 2028 timeline among political parties but revealed that about 60% were open to the possibility of implementing the changes in 2024, provided it can be legally accomplished.
“So in principle, all the parties that attended IPAC yesterday were for it for 2028. But for 2024, almost 60% of the parties, more than half of the parties, said if it will be possible for the EC to go through the legal processes to have it implemented this year, let’s go ahead,” Dr. Asare indicated in an interview.
Dr. Asare assured that the EC is confident in meeting all legal requirements to hold the elections in November.
“Looking at our calendar, we are pretty sure that we will be able to do everything, whatever it takes to ensure that we go through the legal process.
“But as I said, as far as we are concerned, whatever we need to do, whatever is necessary, whatever is proper that must be done to ensure that we are able to consummate it and have the elections, we are well able to do that,” Dr. Asare noted.
The NDC’s Director of Elections and ICT, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, said the EC must proceed with caution.
He said that the overwhelming agreement was that, given everything the EC has to do between now and the next presidential and parliamentary elections, it would be taking on more than it could do.
“As an institution, if it wanted to add the needed parliamentary processes to change the date for the elections, it’s something that we all discussed, and we are all men and women of faith,” he said.
