The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako has questioned the neutrality of the Electoral Commission in the upcoming polls, stressing some of their actions portray otherwise.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper after addressing a hurriedly arranged press conference at the party’s headquarters about the ongoing voter transfer exercise, Mr Wontumi as he is popularly referred to by party faithful claimed the EC was deliberately frustrating persons they allege to be NPP faithful from having a smooth transfer to their intended polling centers.
He alleged the EC has bent its own rules governing the conduct of the polls in December 2016, adding they had particularly done so in the strongholds of the NPP to favor the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
During the recent limited registration exercise, Mr Boasiako claimed the time allocated to all regions to end the process by 8pm was surprisingly changed in the Ashanti Region where officials of the EC closed after 6pm.
APPEAL:
The NPP Chairman in a passionate tone, appealed to the International Community to ensure they bring enough pressure on the Electoral body to stay neutral as they conduct the processes ahead of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary polls in December.
He also rallied the media and civil society organizations to show commitment in the processes of the elections so as to proffer advice when challenges arose.
According to him, the guarantee to peace in the country lies in the fairness of State institutions like the EC.
He, therefore, called on the Peace Council to rather harp on the need for the EC to stay neutral as they could be with parties no matter their size and influences.
RESOLVE:
Speaking to the paper later, Mr Sam Pyne, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NPP intimated the preparedness of the party to police the processes governing the conduct of this year’s polls.
According to him, the party is guided by its bitter experiences and were eternally resolved not to repeat the mistakes they made in previous elections where the NPP lost.
On his part, the Regional Youth Organizer, Mr Justin Kodua pledged the commitment of the party’s youth to guard every activity the party is involved so as to ensure nothing untoward befell the party in December 2016.
He disclosed the party was working to win all 47 parliamentary seats in the Region, adding they will work to ensure the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo garners over 80percent of the valid votes in Ashanti in the December polls.
