The Ghana Centre for Development (CDD) and Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has downplayed claims by three Presidential Candidates stating that this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections will not be free and fair.
A joint statement signed by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, flag bearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP); Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, flag bearer of the National Democratic Party (NDP); and Dr Edward Mahama, flag bearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC) said: “We wish to put on public record that the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections will not be free and fair.”
“We make this point strongly believing that we have a responsibility as leaders of these three political parties to bring into sharp focus a number of issues that have happened that defeat our expectation or aspiration as a country to hold free and fair elections.
According to them, free and fair elections do not happen on voting days but rather they happen only if a number of things are in place and are guaranteed for the benefit of the all the players.
Though the three candidates are calling on civil society, the National Peace Council, the CODEO and the International Community to take steps to reverse what they describe as disturbing trends.
National Coordinator for CODEO, Albert Kofi Arhin is of the firm conviction that the 2016 polls will not be rigged per their research conducted.
According to him, his outfit in the past months had already deployed some observers who are on the field observing election-related issues and have not received any report of rigging on Election Day.
“We have already deployed people and we always get reports on the field and we have not received any report on rigging and we can’t agree with the presidential candidates who claim the election is going to be rigged” he said in an interview on Accra based Neat fm.
Mr Albert Arhin indicated that, though vote buying is still a problem as observed in all constituencies across the country, they believe the election will be free and fair based on their research across the country.
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