The Deputy Government Spokesperson, Shemima Muslim, has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct its duties in a manner that restores its public image, which she describes as “bruised and battered.”
Her comments come ahead of the highly anticipated Ablekuma North parliamentary election rerun, scheduled for July 11, 2025, following a legal battle over the constituency’s representation.
The High Court, presided over by Justice Ali Baba Abature, on Tuesday dismissed an interlocutory injunction filed by Akua Afriyie, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate, which sought to halt the rerun. The court ruled that the application was unmeritorious, stating that the balance of convenience lay with allowing the EC to fulfill its constitutional obligation to ensure the people of Ablekuma North are duly represented in Parliament.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day Show, Shemima noted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is actively canvassing for votes and educating the public in the lead-up to the polls.
“I’m sure the EC would have wished not to be in this position, but right now, they are the minority in public trust, and they need to do things to recover the image that has really been bruised and battered. So for us, vigilance is the key. You can see, we are on the ground. The NDC executives are on the ground, we are campaigning, we are helping the candidate mop up votes, and engaging in community public education,” she said.
She also used the platform to urge constituents to come out in their numbers and exercise their franchise during the rerun. Addressing deeper concerns, Shemima criticized the current leadership of the Electoral Commission, alleging partisan influence stemming from appointments made under the NPP administration.
“Right from the beginning, based on the composition of the EC, we needed to all come together and not make it an NPP–NDC situation. Some commissioners were known members of the New Patriotic Party. That should never be the case for an institution like the EC, which must rise above partisanship,” she stated.
She further argued that decisions made under the current EC leadership have undermined public confidence indicating that the actions taken reinforced perceptions that the institution was an appendage of the NPP.
Citing the NDC’s Eagle Eye Project, Shemima credited the party’s vigilance with uncovering electoral discrepancies, adding that it played a crucial role in safeguarding the 2024 general elections.
“It was the vigilance of the NDC that exposed a lot of what could have gone wrong. Today, it’s interesting that even the NPP is beginning to admit that the current EC leadership may not be fit for purpose.” she said