Albert Arhin, the National Coordinator for Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), has affirmed that no individual or an institution can manipulate results in favour of any political party in the country.
He explained that the nation had a watertight electoral system which would not allow anyone to rig elections for any political party and stressed that the electoral processes from the stage of compiling a register was keenly monitored by civil society organisations (CSOs) and other international bodies, hence the inability to manipulate by any party or organisation.
Mr Arhin challenged political parties to focus on training their internal electoral officers or polling agents to be abreast with the electoral laws and processes instead of questioning and disparaging the mandate of the Electoral Commission (EC).
“My experience at the commission challenges the impression and assertions that elections can be rigged because my work and experience at the commission attest that elections cannot be rigged and the electoral system is open to all political parties and stakeholders, making it difficult for election results to be manipulated or changed.
“The processes are not done surreptitiously, it is up to the political parties to be vigilant and intensely monitor electoral processes right from the beginning to the D-Day,” Mr Arhin pointed out, and expressed fret over the consistent misunderstanding between parties and the EC.
He observed that decisions taken at Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings were not imperative in directing the EC in delivering its mandate but a platform where the commission engaged political parties and other stakeholders and no political party could compel the EC in implementing decisions made whatsoever.
“The EC does not take advice from any person or group but it considers issues raised by political parties which are the key stakeholders to make its work easy, satisfactory, and ultimately to ensure peace, unity, stability and national cohesion.
Mr Arhin entreated all political parties to smoke the peace pipe with the EC in all IPAC meetings and understand the operations of the commission to promote peace, unity, stability and national cohesion before, during and after the December 7 polls. -3news
