With less than a week to the December 7, 2016 general elections, issues of missing names in the ‘special voters’ register to be used for the special voting today and the bribery allegations against the incumbent National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) presidential candidate by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) dominated the headlines of various news media for today.
Daily Graphic has the caption “Uphold Ghana’s democracy on December 7…. Kofi Annan, JJ urge voters”. According to the paper two of Ghana’s global icons have enjoined all Ghanaians to uphold the democratic credentials of the country when they cast their ballots on Wednesday, December 7, 2016. A former UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan and a former President of the Republic, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings in statements ahead of the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections acknowledged some challenges in the past but expressed the conviction that once again Ghanaians would conduct successful polls. According to Mr. Annan, ‘’As Ghanaians, we all know that our country’s much vaunted democratic reputation has been at risk before, but we have always pulled back from the brink in time to preserve peace, stability and prosperity.
Today, Daily Guide and the Ghanaian Times carry the headline “Media, Security Persons Vote-In Special Voting”. According to these papers, in spite of the initial confusion that ensued over the number of people cleared to vote through special voting, journalists, security agencies and some essential service providers will today vote ahead of the December 7, polls. While the Electoral Commission (EC) insisted only 65,001 people have been approved to vote today, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said the list which they received from the commission suggested that about 114,000 people will vote under the special voting arrangement.
The Daily Post also carries the headline “We’ll deal with NPP’s allegations in Court –Bawa Mogtari” The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) is threatening to sue the New Patriotic Party over the Bugri Naabu bribery allegation against President Mahama and his brother Ibrahim. The NPP on Tuesday claimed President Mahama bribed its Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu to engage in a smear campaign targeted at the NPP’s presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo. But speaking to Winston Amoah host of 3FM Sunrise show spokesperson of the NDC 2016 campaign team, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, discredited the NPP’s claim as more propaganda to tarnish the works of President Mahama who is seeking re-election
The Ghanaian Times with the headline “Don’t Take Pictures of Ballots”, says that the police has warned voters to desist from taking pictures of their thumb printed ballots and making them public. The act, according to the police, constitutes a serious offence and anybody caught will be severely dealt with. “voting is a secrete and it must remain as such irrespective of one’s affiliation to a particular person or party,” the Director-General of Police Operations, Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, gave the warning in an interview with The Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday.
We conclude today’s newspaper review with the headline in the New Crusading Guide “I Will Deliver Ghana…From Poverty- Nana Assures Asanteman”. The Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has reiterated his and the party’s commitment to expand Ghana’s economy by setting up and fulfilling the policy goals set out for implementations. According to him, NPP government will not over burden Ghanaians with high tariffs. However, his government will reduce the existing taxes to help companies increase revenue and employment.
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