President John Dramani Mahama has asked the Electoral
Commission to allow voters with valid Voter ID cards cast their
votes even if the verification machine fails to recognize
them.
He says it is unfair to disenfranchise some people because
their identity cannot be verified by a piece of
equipment.
There have been reports from various polling centres that
some voters have not been able to cast their vote because the
verification machines have not verified their
identity.
The President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs,
Nana Sigri, told Joy News his wife and many of his subjects had not
been able to vote despite the fact that their names are in the
register.
Joy News’ Hashmeen Mohammed reported from the Northern
Regional capital, Tamale, that the chiefs are appealing to the EC
to do something about the situation.
Tamale chief, Mr. Alhassan Abdulai, speaking through his
secretary, Abdulai Mohammed Rashad, said many residents had poured
into his palace, appealing to him to appeal to the EC Chairman, Dr.
Kwadwo Afari Gyan, to intervene to ensure that they were not
disenfranchised.
He said, “People want to vote but verification machines are
rejecting them.”
President Mahama believes the pleas of the people must be
heard.
But the Public Affairs Director of the EC, Mr. Owusu Parry,
said the decision, no verification, no vote was one reached by all
the political parties and that he was incapable of altering
it.
He insisted the EC had made adequate provisions for backup on
which electoral officers could fall in the event that the machine
malfunctioned.
