The National Democratic Congress claims it has intercepted an audio recording in which some members of the New Patriotic Party are attempting to convince officials of the Electoral Commission to manipulate the election results in their favour.
The said recording, according to the party’s Campaign Coordinator Kofi Adams, included voices of the NPP’s Prof Mike Oquaye and former National Organiser, Lord Commey.
“We have in our possession voice recordings of discussions that went on between some EC officials from the very headquarters of the Commission and NPP officials Mike Oquaye, Lord Commey and others where they were making attempts to influence these election officials to make sure results in some constituencies are worked in their favour.”
Mr Adams, who made these revelations at a press conference organised by the NDC in Accra on Monday, said the situation is unpardonable.
The evidence was not produced.
Nonetheless, Kofi Adams said this is an attack on our electoral process, he said, adding “but we are not surprised, the NPP is noted for that.”
“We should not be surprised that in 2016, a desperate political party like the NPP is engaging in these acts,” he said.
Mr Adams indicated that the NDC will lodge an official complaint to the EC for a position to be taken on their officers who were fingered in the tape.
“We will also be submitting these recordings to the CID at the police headquarters to have a thorough investigation into the matter and all those involved will be dealt with.”
He stressed that the NDC is committed to free, fair and transparent elections and that the party is convinced that their candidate, President John Mahama has lived up to expectation and is the right person for the job.
This is not the first time such claims are being made by the major political parties.
A few hours to the Talensi by-election in the Upper East region in 2015, Communications Minister Omane Boamah alleged he had obtained an audio recording in which the opposition NPP was conniving with the Regional EC boss to rig the vote for the NPP.
He claimed a lady assigned by the NPP Chairman, Fredie Blay to call the EC official in connection with the plot, mistakenly called the Regional Minister who recorded the conversation.
Dr Omane Boamah promised to ensure that the lady was prosecuted.
Nothing came out of it.
Monday morning the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP also led the Kumasi police to a Guest House where bags of ballots thumb-printed for the president were retrieved.
The circumstances of the case are so bizarre the police doubt the credibility of the story.
The Ashanti Regional EC Director says whilst the ballots bear stark resemblance with those of the EC, they have no serial numbers and are therefore fake.
He said even if those ballots found their way into the ballot box, they would not count as valid votes.
