Social commentator and former NDC Central Regional Chairman Bernard Allotey Jacobs has rubbished accusations by his former party that the ruling New Patriotic Party is planning to rig the impending general elections.
Through its National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, the NDC says the ruling party wants to stuff the ballot boxes in favour of their presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Sammy Gyamfi alleged that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) intends to use Brigadier-General Michael Opoku, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, to do the rigging.
He claimed Brigadier-General Michael Opoku’s residence was being used as a storage facility for weapons and for ballot box stuffing; hence, he petitioned the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to intervene.
“Per our credible intel, Brigadier-General Opoku’s residence in Kumasi is currently the storage facility for weapons, illegally printed ballot papers, military apparel, and other election materials, which the NPP intends to use to execute this dastardly and subversive agenda,” he alleged.
Sammy Gyamfi continued, “We are going to ensure that the King of the Ashanti people, who is very much interested in the peace of our nation and the peace of the processes leading to, during, and after the December 7 election, we will officially draw his attention to these developments because the headquarters of the operation of this guy [Brigadier-General Michael Opoku] is Kumasi… And I know that the Otumfuo cherishes the peace that the people of Kumasi and the Ashanti Region enjoy, and he will want to take an interest in this matter and call this guy to order.”
However, to Allotey Jacobs, the NDC’s accusations are nothing but an admission of defeat, as they know they will lose the December 7 elections.
He stated that Sammy Gyamfi and his likes are fabricating stories of election rigging because they want to protect their positions in the NDC.
“It is a preparation for 2028. I’m telling you the truth, and it will happen. Safeguarding their own positions, hence this press conference. It is clear that Bawumia is going to win the 2024 elections… People are protecting their positions in the NDC, so they have to accuse people of rigging the elections,” he remarked during the “Kokrokoo” panel discussion program on Peace FM.
Allotey Jacobs further noted that the NDC has seen that the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is a force they cannot defeat, hence finding excuses for their supporters and members when they lose the election.
“It is clear that they see themselves losing the elections, and therefore there should be excuses,” he emphasized, stressing “Bawumia has become a magnet that attracts people genuinely.”