Dec 7 Elections: We don’t want military and National Security operatives at polling stations – Mahama cautions

Former President and 2024 presidential candidate for the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has cautioned against the deployment of the military in the upcoming December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Addressing thousands of Christians and members of other religious denominations on Sunday, November 3, 2024, during the launch of the National Peace Campaign, the former president underscored the need to safeguard the peace of the nation.

He said part of the steps to safeguarding the peace of the nation includes avoiding the deployment of military personnel to voting centers during the December 7 elections.

John Mahama, however, maintains that there is a need to ensure strict and fair enforcement of the law against anyone who attempts to incite violence or disrupt the peaceful electoral process.

According to John Dramani Mahama, it is imperative for the key stakeholders in the electoral process, mainly the Electoral Commission, the judiciary, and the security agencies, to ensure that there is a free, fair, credible, transparent, and verifiable election where the safety of all parties is assured.

The leader of the NDC alluded to the high volatility of the upcoming elections and called for the need to ensure that justice and fairness are served without any form of prejudice during and after the elections.

Mr. Mahama insisted that anyone who disrupts the electoral process should be held accountable. He firmly opposed the deployment of military personnel or armed national security operatives to polling stations, arguing that their presence could foster an atmosphere of fear and suspicion among voters.

He urged the government to respect the designated roles of each security institution to prevent unnecessary escalations.

John Mahama also highlighted the essential role of the Electoral Commission in building trust among the electorate, calling on the EC to perform its duties impartially, as neutrality is vital for maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.

Mr. Mahama said, “Our clergy, like all citizens, should be able to witness voting and counting peacefully without fear of violence. If someone errs or is disruptive during the election, they should be made to face justice. The government has a responsibility to hold accountable any criminal who masquerades during the elections as state security operatives.

“No weapons must be allowed in or around any polling stations, including at all collation centers. Election security is the primary responsibility of the Ghana Police Service under the Inspector General of Police. There must therefore be no deployment of the military or armed national security operatives at any polling station or collation center. The Electoral Commission must be impartial, and the judiciary must be fair and neutral in the event of any election dispute,” he said.