As the 2024 general elections approach, accompanied by the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) ongoing attacks on the credibility of the Electoral Commission (EC), the words of former President John Dramani Mahama have resurfaced, putting his party in an awkward position.
Ahead of the 2016 general elections, Mr. Mahama praised the EC’s credibility, stating that Ghana’s electoral system has inherent mechanisms that make it impossible for the election management body to rig elections in favor of any political party.
Speaking at a forum in Bordeaux, France, in 2016, the former president remarked, “Ghana has an Electoral Commission that is independent and does not consult the President on anything,” firmly asserting that the Electoral Commission could not rig elections.
He also dismissed allegations of interference in the EC’s operations, calling such accusations “absurd nonsense.”
“Some have even claimed that the Electoral Commission is preparing to rig the elections for John Mahama. What absurd nonsense!
Ghana’s electoral system is one of the best in the world—not just in Africa, but globally—because it has built-in instruments to guarantee its integrity,” he added.
On accusations of possible interference by the presidency, Mr Mahama firmly stated, “I have no right to interfere in the electoral process.”
The former president reiterated his strong belief in the EC at a campaign rally in Funsi, Wa East Constituency, on November 18, 2016, just before the general elections.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Mr Mahama and his party have since launched a series of unsubstantiated attacks on the EC following their loss in the 2016 general elections, raising questions about his credibility and honesty.
For instance, the opposition NDC plans to stage a protest on Tuesday, September 17, across the country, over what they claim are challenges with the electoral register, allegations they have yet to substantiate.
In his quest to regain power, Mahama seems willing to tear down the very democratic structures that hold the country together. For someone who once held the highest office in the land, it is shocking to see him undermining a key state institution purely for political gain. Mahama should be the first to understand the importance of protecting state institutions, yet he seems determined to erode the public’s trust in them.
