The New Patriotic Party has criticized the National Democratic Congress for their rejection of the Constitutional Instrument proposed by the Electoral Commission. The NDC has spoken out against the EC’s intention to restrict voter registration to only those with the Ghana card, claiming that it could lead to a mass exclusion of citizens from the registration process.
In an interview on Point of view on Citi TV the Director of Research and Elections of the NPP, Evans Nimako expressed his frustration that the NDC is opposing the EC‘s proposed CI, which he believes will be beneficial to the country‘s electoral system. He accused the opposition of creating obstacles to prevent the EC from introducing reforms that could improve the integrity of Ghana‘s voting process.Mr. Nimako said he cannot fathom the fears of the NDC if the CI is passed by Parliament.
He said “My little worry about the NDC is that anytime there are any arrangements that seek to sanitise the registration exercise of the EC, they tend to disagree. We saw this when the new EC decided to put in place the new voter registration management system. They disagreed to the extent that they went to court and they failed.
He added that “I’m not saying they shouldn’t challenge or bring alternatives. We have on a number of occasions disagreed with the EC. I don’t see their fears, but the question is, what does the NDC stands to lose if the EC at this point decides that we want to have a CI that will take away this whole issue about the guarantor system that gives us so much trouble,”
The NPP‘s Director of Research and Elections recommended that the NDC come back to the Inter–Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to have in–depth conversations with the other political parties regarding the next step.
“The NDC should eat their humble pie and come to IPAC so that we can have a discussion there so that we will not take this whole long time to discuss this issue,” he encouraged.
He further on called on Ghanaians especially politicians to support the EC to deliver on its mandate.
“I think that the EC’s arrangements to have a CI that will allow only those who will want to have their names onto the register to use the Ghana cards must be supported by all,” he urged.