Trusting the EC would be foolish — Franklin Cudjoe warns political parties

Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has advised political parties against placing faith in the Electoral Commission’s (EC) impartiality.

Cudjoe’s concerns arose after the EC announced its decision to exclude political party agents from the ongoing vote transfer exercise, a move prompted by violent clashes at some transfer centres.

Earlier, the NDC had instructed its agents to defy this directive, signalling growing tensions.

Expressing his views, Cudjoe emphasised the necessity for political parties to oversee the process, asserting that the EC cannot be relied upon to conduct it fairly without their oversight.

In a Facebook post on 3 June 2024, he criticised the EC’s directive, deeming it foolish for any political party agent or leader to trust the EC to transfer votes without their presence.

He highlighted the potential risks to the integrity of the vote transfer process without adequate monitoring, citing the EC’s history of incompetence and unreliability. Cudjoe stressed the importance of transparency and equity, advocating for the EC to operate under the scrutiny of its primary stakeholders.

Cudjoe’s scepticism extended to the EC’s leadership, which he characterised as the most incompetent within the public sector.

He criticised their past actions, alleging deception and mismanagement. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) condemned the EC’s directive as illegal.

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the NDC’s Director of Elections and IT, voiced this criticism during an interview on Accra-based Citi FM.

He argued for greater consultation with political parties in decision-making processes.

Dr Boamah also called for enhanced security measures to prevent violence in future electoral processes, referencing the recent Kasoa incident that resulted in four injuries over the weekend.