The Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dickson Adomako Kissi, has pointed to the inherent dangers of overly relying on the Electoral Commission (EC) for election victory.
His comments come in response to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) announcing a nationwide demonstration against the EC, demanding a forensic audit of the voter register ahead of the December general elections.
The opposition party also raised concerns about the lack of updates regarding the theft of Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs), which Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia claimed cast doubt over the integrity of the electoral process.
In an interview on JoyNews, MP Mr Kissi emphasised that no serious political party should depend solely on the Electoral Commission for a victory.
"I’ve always believed that no serious-minded party would rely on a referee to secure a win. In this context, no party should rely on the EC for a victory, and I can point to several examples," he stated.
He recalled the 2016 elections under the Mahama administration as an example of the electorate’s decisive power.
"In 2016, despite speculation that Mahama had undue influence over the electoral process, the results were so clear that the outcome couldn’t be disputed. The gap between the candidates was over a million votes, making it impossible for any manipulation to change the result," Kissi noted.
According to him, it would be wrong for any political party, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to expect EC Chair Jean Mensa to influence the December 7th election results in their favor.
"So I believe that it is erroneous even for me as NPP to be depending on the Electoral Commission at this point in time, Jean Mensah on December 7th to produce votes for me, it will be very wrong.”
Former President John Mahama, while addressing party members in Sampa, in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region, urged NDC supporters to join the protests at EC offices across the country.
He emphasised the importance of ensuring that the electoral processes are transparent and fair ahead of the December elections.
MP Adomako Kissi, however, advised the NDC and all political parties to focus on strengthening their internal electoral machinery rather than placing undue emphasis on the Commission.
"Relying on the EC is not a viable strategy to win an election," he said. "My core belief is that the EC, like any institution, may not always appear entirely fair to all parties. That’s impossible."
Mr Kissi also highlighted internal disagreements within the NPP over certain EC policies, such as the exclusive use of the Ghana Card as the sole form of identification in the upcoming elections.
He commended the EC for reconsidering some of these policies but noted that both the NPP and NDC must work to ensure a fair and transparent process moving forward.
"At the end of the day, many in both the NPP and NDC agree that some of these operational issues need to be addressed collaboratively for the good of the country," Mr Kissi added.
Looking ahead to the December elections, Adomako Kissi emphasised the importance of the Electoral Commission maintaining transparency, credibility, and fairness in its operations.
He pointed out that while ensuring that every vote counts should be a priority, political parties must also focus on strengthening their internal systems.
This, he believes, will enable them to effectively mobilise supporters and secure electoral victories through legitimate means.
Credit: Mavis Sekyibea Addo