EC duplicated my running mate’s voter ID – Mahama

Flagbearer of the opposition NDC, former President John Dramani Mahama, has slammed the EC for compiling a new register which he said could lead to the exclusion of many.

Mahama  revealed his running mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, was one of the thousands of voters who were nearly disenfranchised by the Electoral Commission (EC).

At a press conference on Thursday, September 24, organized after the NDC presidential campaign team cut their tour of the Bono Region, Mr Mahama explained that Prof. Opoku-Agyemang found out the anomaly after she had asked someone to check her name.

“They said she had to come herself because her number was duplicated, someone else also has the same number,” he said.

“She had to drive from Komenda to Elmina where the district office of the EC is located. At Elmina, they took the old card from her, destroyed it and replaced it with a new card”.

Mr Mahama wondered how a vulnerable person with challenges of mobility could make a similar trip if found in the same situation.

Enumerating more ‘widespread’ anomalies, he pointed out that eight centres at Krowor in the Greater Accra had over 2,453 people being affected by the duplications.

Mr Mahama further cited a chunk of missing names at various centres and accused the EC of conducting fresh registration during the process. Mr Mahama said the Asawase constituency in the Ashanti Region, for example, had 907 additional names mysteriously appearing on the roll.

Some of the affected areas facing other problems according to the NDC include Bindurui, Jirapa, Klottey Korle, Ashaiman, Ketu South, Ketu North, Akatsi South, Keta, Anlo, Karaga, Tamale South and Tolon.

But the EC has discounted that claim insisting that the cards are to amend the issue of duplication.

The election conducting body had earlier assured political parties at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting that it was committed to resolving all identified challenges.

The exhibition period has also been extended to Sunday, September 27.