EC Sends Strong-Worded Reply To Sammy Gyamfi, NDC Concerns About Assin North Voters Register, Ghanaians React

• Social media has been buzzing over the contents of EC's response to the NDC and Sammy Gyamfi over the eligibility criteria for candidates to file for parliamentary elections
• Many Ghanaians believe the tone of EC's press statement dated June 6, 2023, was unprofessional
• The NDC Communication Officer Sammy Gyamfi has alleged that the EC was seeking to break its own rules on eligibility criteria, a claim the EC has dismissed

Hundreds of Ghanaians have taken to social media to condemn the strong tone of the Electoral Commission's response to the opposition National Democratic Congress' allegation that there is a sinister plan to field an unqualified parliamentary candidate for the Assin North by-election.

NDC National Communication Officer Sammy Gyamfi issued a series of statements questioning the Commission's decision to pass a parliamentary candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) who was not registered to vote in the Assin North constituency.

Read also

Peace Council wades into Agyinasare-Nogokpo saga: Starts process to resolve impasse

According to Gyamfi, the EC's own rules stipulate clearly that an eligible candidate filing for nomination must be "of the same constituency” to stand for election as a Member of Parliament.

The EC had sought to dismiss the allegations that it is breaking its own rules to favour the governing NPP in an earlier statement.

However, in the latest response dated June 6, 2023, which sought to respond to a new press statement issued by the NDC's Gyamfi, EC sounded firm but many Ghanaians felt the Commission was unprofessional.

EC's scalding comments to Sammy Gyamfi and NDC

Portions of the EC's response to Sammy Gyamfi stated that for many years, the NDC executive and his party have been putting out false claims aimed at maligning the integrity of the Commission.

Read also

Agyinasare receives Lifetime Achievement Award from US gov't amid Nogokpo controversy

"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,' the EC jabbed.

The EC also took a swipe at Sammy Gyamfi and asked him to take up tasks that would improve the party's chances of winning the June 27 by-election for Assin North.

"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 EC admonished.

Ghanaians slam EC's scalding comments to NDC, Sammy Gyamfi

For many Ghanaians on Twitter and Facebook, the response from the EC is unbecoming of a state institution charged with the responsibility of communicating without bias and personalisation.

Michael Sage, tweeting @darkwamichael noted in the comment section EC's press statement on Twitter:

Read also

Domelevo shades Akufo-Addo: Sings heartily about his "oppressors" in viral video

"The tone of your response is too partisan. Why are you using a public platform like a political party page? Please there’s nothing wrong in you educating and correcting misinformation but the tone sounds like you are fighting with the ndc."

@Hon_Noah_ said:

"I felt sad reading this reply. Ghana can become better "

@Dela_Dela789 also jabbed the EC's professionalism:

"You are a disgrace to professionalism."

@KHULUED felt the response came from the NPP:

"@ECGhanaOfficial Is this actually coming from the EC of Ghana or from the NPP? This ejaculatory response sounds so partisan than coming from a once-upon-a-time noble institution. The response is full of hatred and some sense of possessiveness. Paragraph 6 makes a mess of the EC."

EC and NDC clash over alleged illegal name in Assin North register

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported in a separate story that the EC and the NDC have been in a bitter disagreement over the Assin North voters' resister ahead of a by-election scheduled for June 27, 2023.

Read also

Agyinasare's flight hit by major glitch midair, returned to Accra: Peeps suspect Nogokpo

The NDC thinks the regulator of national elections is colluding with the governing NPP to insert a name into the Assin Noth seat illegally.

The EC denied the claim as false and malicious to malign the mage to the Commission.

The Assin North seat became vacant after the Supreme Court ruled recently that the NDC MP who was declared a winner in 2020 was not qualified to stand for public office at the time he filed to contest.

Source: YEN.com.gh