The Electoral Commission (EC) says despite the numerous clashes between the institution and members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and other political parties, their relationship remains cordial.
This follows various allegations made against the Commission, especially by the NDC.
Last week, the party had engaged in a spirited banter with the Commission alleging a plot with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to insert the name of an unqualified candidate into the Assin-North voters' register.
Before that, the NDC had officially written to the Council of State to reconsider its advice on the appointments of Dr Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani to the Electoral Commission (EC) after subjecting the Commission to severe backlash.
But commenting on this, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr Serebour Quiacoe, said such criticism is expected in politics.
According to him, members of the Commission are friends with most politicians in Ghana, therefore such attacks are not taken to heart.
"Some of us are even classmates, schoolmates, we did courses together so we meet and we talk about our school days and the rest.
"But when there is an issue that will be discussed, at times for political reviews they will just give it to you.
"I remember there was a time (I am not referring to NDC) one of them went on air and it’s like he attacked me and after he called me and said “Today, I gave it to you but it is all politic so don’t get offended".
"A top person called me and said we shouldn’t get angry because some of these things are normal," he added.
Touching on the alleged enmity between the Commission and the opposition NDC, Dr Serebour Quiacoe who was speaking on JoyNews' PM Express said the EC is ever ready to work with all stakeholders including the NDC.
"Anytime we are holding an IPAC meeting we send them letters. Anytime we finish the meeting, even though they did not attend, we send them copies of the minutes.
"When they are doing their elections, they call us. We meet, we agree on the guidelines and go and do the elections for them.
"We could have said that this election we are not bound by the law so go and have your elections. But we stepped in and did it for them and they liked the results. So we have no problem with them.
"We see them as our stakeholders," he told host, Evans Mensah.
Meanwhile, the NDC is still boycotting IPAC meetings following the failure of the committee to grant the party’s request for the EC to postpone all future meetings indefinitely due to the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020.
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