General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has launched a fierce attack on the Electoral Commission (EC), accusing the body of waging war against the NDC through unjust actions aimed at undermining the party's chances in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, Mr. Kwetey denounced the disqualification of Joana Gyan Cudjoe, the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central, as a “blatant miscarriage of justice” orchestrated by the Jean Mensa-led EC.
According to the NDC General Secretary, the decision to disqualify Joana Gyan Cudjoe based on a court order tied to an annulled election reflects the EC’s intent to disenfranchise voters in the constituency and diminish the credibility of the electoral process.
“The Electoral Commission must explain to Ghanaians how they can justify such a blatant miscarriage of justice,” Mr. Kwetey stated.
"They must explain how they can disenfranchise thousands of voters based on a court order tied to an election that no longer exists. The NDC will not accept this decision. We will fight it in the courts, in the public arena, and in every forum available to us.”
Mr. Kwetey went on to accuse the EC of a deliberate pattern of misconduct, recalling the infamous Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) incident from the 2020 elections, where the EC allegedly disenfranchised an entire constituency.
“The disqualification of Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe is part of a broader pattern of misconduct by an Electoral Commission that has shown time and again that it is unfit to referee the democratic process,” he charged.
The NDC’s top official emphasized that the party views the EC’s actions as an effort to unfairly tip the scales in favor of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), accusing the Commission of seeking to hand the Amenfi Central parliamentary seat to the NPP.
He drew parallels between the situation in Amenfi Central and the NPP’s victory in Hohoe, where Peter Amewu won under controversial circumstances in the 2020 elections.
“This is not mere incompetence,” Fifi Kwetey stressed.
"This is deliberate, premeditated, and unlawful conduct. Jean Mensa and her cronies believe they can act with impunity because of their ties to the NPP. But we are here to tell them they are wrong.”
In a direct message to the NDC supporters, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey announced that the party’s legal team, under the instruction of NDC Flagbearer John Dramani Mahama, had filed court documents to challenge the disqualification.
He confirmed that an interlocutory injunction had been secured to stop the EC from moving forward with any actions, including printing ballot papers, until the matter is fully resolved in court.
“The EC is at war with the NDC,” Kwetey declared.
“This is a war we did not choose, but one we will fight to the bitter end. We are not just fighting for a parliamentary seat. We are fighting for the soul of our democracy. The people of Amenfi Central deserve fair representation, and we will not let Jean Mensa and the EC trample on their rights.”
Mr. Kwetey called on all Ghanaians who value democracy and fairness to stand up against what he termed the “corruption and incompetence” of the Electoral Commission under Jean Mensa.
He urged civil society organizations and defenders of democracy to condemn the EC’s actions and join the NDC in fighting for electoral integrity.
“We must not allow a compromised institution like the EC to dictate the outcomes of elections through underhanded and unlawful tactics,” he said.
“The NDC will not rest until justice is served for the people of Amenfi Central, and until the EC is held fully accountable for this disgraceful abuse of power.”
The press conference concluded with a strong warning to the EC and its leadership, with Mr. Kwetey reiterating the NDC’s determination to pursue every legal and political avenue to protect the rights of their candidate and the people of Amenfi Central.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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