The NDC’s Deputy Director of Elections and IT has accused the Ashanti Regional Electoral Commission (EC) Director of undermining electoral procedures by blocking the NDC from sealing ballot boxes during Monday’s special voting exercise.
Dr Rashid Tanko-Computer speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, described the incident as a serious violation of electoral laws and a threat to Ghana’s democracy.
“The Special Voting wasn’t rosy,” he revealed during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday. “If not because we had to hold back our anger, it would have starred in the face of Ghanaians.”
Dr Tanko-Computer detailed the events of Sunday evening, a day before the special voting exercise when the EC distributed ballot boxes and electoral materials.
He explained that, traditionally, political parties are allowed to place their seals on ballot boxes alongside those of the EC, a process aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the elections.
However, Tanko-Computer alleged that the Ashanti Regional EC Director gave explicit instructions to district officers to deny the NDC the opportunity to place their seals on the ballot boxes.
“I am saying he gave instructions. He told them that the NDC should not put a seal. When I confronted him, he asked me, ‘If we have 400 ballot boxes, are you going to put seals on all of them?’ And I told him, ‘If you bring 1 million ballot boxes, I will put 1 million seals. That’s what the CI says.’”
Dr Tanko-Computer escalated the matter to senior EC officials, including Mr Tettey and Dr Bossman Asare, who intervened.
“They had to call him, and he finally backed down. But by then, some districts were already operating under his initial orders,” he lamented.
Dr Tanko-Computer further criticised the Ashanti Regional EC Director for allegedly instructing officials not to share the validation stamp number with party agents, a move he described as a blatant violation of CI 127, the regulation guiding elections in Ghana.
“The CI is very clear,” Dr Tanko-Computer said.
“Before voting begins, Part A and Part B of the pink sheet must be completed. Part B includes the validation stamp number, which must be recorded to ensure that any stamp not matching that number during sorting can be identified as foreign material. Yet, the Regional Director ordered that this information should not be shared with our agents.”
He accused the EC official of jeopardising Ghana’s peace and democracy.
“This Regional Director is the one who will jeopardize the peace accord we signed. Who is giving him powers he doesn’t have?” Dr Tanko-Computer questioned.
Responding to the claims, Evans Nimako, the Director of Research and Elections for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), dismissed Tanko-Computer’s concerns as exaggerated.
“The guiding rule is CI 127,” Mr Nimako stated.
“Sealing of ballot boxes is done at multiple levels—starting from Accra at the printing houses to the regional and district levels. If Tanko-Computer’s agents missed sealing at one point, they should simply rectify it at another.”
He accused the NDC of creating unnecessary tension.
“I’ve heard Dr. Tanko running around too many times on this small issue. The NDC’s problem is Dr Rashid Tanko-Computer and Dr Omane Boama. Simple issues that are resolved at the IPAC level, they present them as if heavens must break loose,” Mr Nimako added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
