Election 2024: EC extorting monies for election accreditation

The New Force has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of extortion and bias in the issuance of polling agent accreditation cards.

Speaking at a press conference, an unidentified spokesperson revealed that only 200 of their 552 constituency representatives have been granted accreditation, despite meeting all requirements.

“We have had issues with the EC not willing to give us all the accreditation cards we have requested for,” the spokesperson said.

Reports from the Eastern Region also suggest EC officials have demanded bribes before issuing accreditation.

“The whole process is not standardized,” they added, citing inconsistencies like requests for passport pictures, even though the cards themselves lack photos or names.

New Force Leader Nana Kwame Bediako echoed these concerns, describing the accreditation process as discriminatory and chaotic.

“This is not just discrimination; we are being cheated, undermined, and restricted,” he said.

Bediako criticized the EC for imposing a 48-hour deadline for letters accompanying each application while allowing others to bypass these requirements.

He urged Ghanaians to see the bigger picture, stating, “Ghanaians are being taken for granted for the sake of the party that governs these institutions.”

Bediako accused the EC of perpetuating a political duopoly and marginalizing smaller parties and independent candidates.

Nana Bediako also called on the media to investigate these allegations and expose the truth, insisting that transparency is critical to upholding democracy.

“The time has come that we have to accept that democracy is supposed to be practiced over your own human right,” he asserted.

Doubting the EC’s willingness to resolve the issue, he requested volunteers to assist polling agents and emphasized the importance of peaceful, fair elections.

“This election is bringing a change, and nothing is going to stop that,” he concluded, urging voters to stand for integrity and accountability at the polls.