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Flag bearer and leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, has cautioned against the implementation of major electoral reforms in an electioneering year.

Mr. Mahama’s concerns is with regards to the Electoral Commission (EC’s) proposal to move elections day from December to November starting from the year 2024. 

From Mr. Mahama’s point of view, the new proposals have the potential to raise doubts about the integrity of the elections, which will not augur well for the country.

The EC has served noticed that the indelible ink will no longer be used after voting. Recently, it proposed to have the elections date changed from December 7 to November 7.

But the NDC has rejected these proposals, urging the EC to postpone the date change to 2028 for a broader consultation.

Mr. Mahama, who raised these concerns at a breakfast meeting with some clergy and faith based organizations in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, believed the proposed changes could lead to chaos if not executed effectively, and questioned why the EC waited this long before proposing these major reforms.

“After every election, we sit and consider electoral reforms and we agree on what to do. Since 2020, we have only 9 months to another election and the EC has now come with major changes. No indelible ink and different reforms. When you do that it doesn’t build the confidence of the people in the electoral process.

“We have returned to IPAC after the Peace Council intervened and now they [EC] are saying they want to change the Election date and that they want to bring a new CI to change the old CI but our concern is why wait till now? You don’t spring surprises on people, what if it doesn’t work and it leads to some disturbances…so that is our position," he stated.