Mahama voiced reservations, highlighting worries over what seemed to be the Electoral Commission’s lack of preparation.
Speaking at a Minority Caucus session at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho, Mahama said the NDC considers the idea to be unhelpful and unworkable, pointing to what he viewed as the Electoral Commission’s lack of readiness. He emphasized how crucial it is to have an open electoral process and questioned the reasoning behind the suggested change.
Mahama also cited problems from the December 2023 District Level Elections, implying that these incidents demonstrated the Election Commission’s lack of preparedness to carry out the constitutional exercise in November 2024. As of February 2024, the Election Commission had not yet provided the election schedule for the year.
A month into the election year, Mahama expressed concern about the lack of an organized election timetable and urged the Electoral Commission to give organizational readiness first priority. He emphasized how important it is to uphold the custom of having transparent, fair, and credible elections in December, as has been done since the Fourth Republic’s founding.
Mahama forewarned against making hasty changes that could damage the integrity of the election process, pointing out the logistical flaws that were clear in the District Level Elections in December 2023. He maintained that the government’s plan to manipulate the election results in favor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) included the proposal to move the election date.
Given the growing demand among Ghanaians for a change in administration, Mahama argued that the government’s drive for a change in the election date was an attempt to damage the credibility of the elections.
The former President’s dispute resolution, which highlight the level of detail and political sensitivities essential in such constitutional considerations, add to the current conversation about the planned change to the election date.
There will probably be more discussion as interested parties examine how this suggestion would affect Ghana’s democratic procedures.
