Independent presidential candidate Nana Bediako accuses EC of bias in polling agent accreditation

Independent presidential candidate Nana Kwame Bediako, has voiced his frustration with the Electoral Commission (EC), citing alleged irregularities in the process of obtaining accreditation for polling agents ahead of the upcoming elections. 

Speaking at a press conference in Accra Thursday (December 5), he said his outfit mobilised nearly 40,000 polling agents to safeguard votes during the elections. 

However, he revealed that the EC required individual letters and passport pictures for all 40,000 agents, a demand he described as logistically impossible to meet within the remaining 48 hours before polls open.

“We put together almost 40,000 polling agents, only to find out that we have to write a letter for every single one of them in a space of 48 hours before we get accreditation. Meanwhile, others are picking up their accreditation without such requirements. This leaves us confused and questioning whether we’ll have agents in place at all,” he said. 

Institutional biases 

Nana Kwame Bediako expressed disappointment over what he termed as institutional biases and systemic barriers against smaller political parties. 

“We should be dealing with all 13 presidential candidates fairly, not treating two as the main players and reducing the rest to substitutes.

This is not democracy. It feels like the system is designed to suppress smaller parties,” he said.

The New Force leader called on Ghanaians to demand transparency from the EC and to reject any practices that undermine the country’s democratic principles. 

“Democracy is about fairness and respecting human rights. We cannot allow external or internal influences to dictate the future of this nation,” he added.

In spite of the challenges, Nana Bediako encouraged Ghanaians to stand for truth and integrity in the electoral process. 
He appealed for volunteers to step forward as polling agents to ensure transparency at voting centers, even as the party struggled to meet the EC’s requirements.

“This is a call to action for all Ghanaians. We need people who can stand for what is right and protect the sanctity of the vote. Our destiny as a nation depends on it,” he stated.