The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has fiercely criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for its decision to start printing ballot papers on Friday, October 11, without first presenting a revised Provisional Voters Register (PVR).
According to the party, the EC had earlier promised to exhibit the revised PVR to correct any discrepancies, but this has not been fulfilled, rendering the planned ballot printing illogical.
Speaking on ABC In The Morning, Dr. Rashid Tanko Computer, Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, questioned the EC’s rush to print ballots without a final voter register.
“We are talking about a revised Provisional Voters Register that you said would be re-exhibited online for corrections.
As we speak, they don’t have a register,” he lamented. He stressed that ballot papers should only be printed when there is a certified register, stating, “You can only print when you have a certified register, a register that has no issues, and we don’t have it as of now.”
The NDC also expressed frustration with the EC’s short-notice decisions on key electoral processes.
“They should stop giving us short notices. That is why there should be a timetable, so we can all follow,” Dr. Tanko said, emphasizing the need for proper planning to ensure fairness. He likened the EC’s actions to a military regime’s approach, stating, “We don’t do that.”
In addition, the NDC called for the release of the Electoral Cold Books, which provide detailed polling station data.
Dr. Tanko noted that the absence of this information hinders the ability to generate accurate statistics for each station, further complicating the ballot printing process.
The party is expected to meet with the EC today to express their concerns.
BY RUTH SEKYI
