Professor Smart Sarpong, a Senior Research Fellow of the Kumasi Technical University, has asked the National Democratic Congress to leave the Electoral Commission alone to do their independent work.
The National Democratic Congress has accused the EC of foul play with the governing New Patriotic Party towards the upcoming Assin North by-election alleging the Commission wants to smuggle an NPP parliamentary aspirant into the election.
NDC Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi claims the ruling party in collaboration with the EC plans to transfer and insert a certain Charles Opoku's name into the voters’ register despite him not being a registered voter in the Assin North constituency.
“We are closely monitoring this situation and shall take every legitimate step to ensure that this illegal plot is not carried out by the Electoral Commission and their collaborators in the NPP,” Mr. Gyamfi stressed in a statement.
The EC, in reply, finds the accusations baseless and has asked Ghanaians to disregard it.
"Over the years Sammy Gyamfi and his party have put out false claims aimed at maligning the integrity of the EC. This was evident in their petition to the Supreme Court after the 2020 Elections alleging that they had won the Elections.
"It is well known that they could not provide evidence in Court to support their allegations. This current allegation is no different. It is baseless and unfounded and a figment of the imagination of the National Communication Officer. We call on all well meaning Ghanaians to ignore it.
"Ghana’s democracy has come of age and we call on Sammy Gyamfi to exercise maturity, decorum and truth in his discussions on the EC. We urge him to go out and campaign and leave the EC alone," the Commission said.
Prof. Smart Sarpong, addressing the matter during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, likened the impasse between the NDC and EC to a wife and husband's conflict, describing the EC as the wife of the political parties.
He cautioned the NDC against washing their wife's (EC) dirty linen in public, thus urging them to solve their issues behind closed doors.
"Help, be part of the process. Approach your wife, talk to your wife. She is your wife, whether you like it or not, you are staying with her. Solve the problem at home and let's have a peaceful system", he said.
He asked the parties, specifically the NDC, to "leave the EC alone. I'm not talking about the woman; the entire Electoral Commission needs some sanctity of mind and freedom and independence to do their work".
He also wondered why the NDC is fixated on the NPP's Charles Opoku saying "what Sammy Gyamfi is doing is even making that NPP candidate become popular. It means perhaps there's something fearsome about him".
