‘2020 elections most INCOMPETENT elections ever organised in Ghana’ – Mahama
The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama has taken a swipe at the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC) describing the institution as “incompetent”.
In an exclusive interview with VOA’s Peter Clottey monitored by GhanaNewsPage.Com, the 2020 NDC flagbearer said the 2020 General Election is no way closer to the standards the Electoral Commission attained over the years.
“This is it the most incompetence election we’ve had. I mean everything about this election does not reach the standard the Electoral Commission has attained for itself in our previous elections unfortunately our EC couldn’t get the results right and the declaration is all over,” he said.
Speaking about the EC’s preparation before the elections he said “in the run-up to the elections there were a lot of flaws in the process and we kept drawing attention to them but the Electoral Commission was adamant to our call but on the day of elections we saw exactly what happened”.
John Mahama has also called for an independent forensic investigation into the recent elections adding that the conclusion of the inquiry will determine the opposition party’s next move.
The former President’s remarks come after the EC declared incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo, winner of the presidential poll with 51 percent of the vote ahead of the 47 percent he had.
“We’re currently doing a forensic audit of all the constituencies to establish what happened there and reconfirm the figures that we have because this case might end up in court which I don’t know however our next step or decision will base on the outcome of our audit,” he said.
“We’re doing this because of the incompetence the EC has shown. The forensic audit of the EC’s own system and numbers to know its final numbers because as it stands now, I don’t know the numbers which the EC will gazette,” he said.
Speaking about his refusal to concede defeat in the elections, he stated that “I must uphold our democracy and hold our Electoral Commission and this government to higher standards in terms of our democracy. The way they’ve conducted this election is a dent to democratic credential as a government”.
“In my principles as a democrat, I can’t be seen to be sweeping it under the carpet and just letting it go. If an independent audit is done by the EC to see what exactly the issues are, I will be the first to concede and walk away but as long as that is not done and I know there was a deliberate attempt to subvert the will of the people in favour of the incumbent, it will be wrong for me in terms of our democratic principles to just leave it because we will not learn the lesson of this election and I think we must learn from it so that we don’t repeat it in the future one”.