The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu, popularly known as General Mosquito, has shared the NDC’s stance on the Electoral Commission’s Limited Voted Registration Exercise.
He said the party is resolute in stopping the Electoral Commission from disenfranchising the public with the limited registration exercise.
This adds to the injunction filed in court by the party and four other opposition parties against the EC to challenge the decision to restrict the registration centres to only the respective district offices.
The parties who joined the NDC in filing the injunction include the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Liberal Party of Ghana (LGP), the All People’s Party (APC), and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).
According to the national chairman of the NDC, Even though registration has commenced, the suit at the Supreme Court is only the first of a series of actions to be taken to compel the EC to conduct limited voter registration at the electoral area level to give all eligible voters access to the process.
“Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution provides that every citizen of Ghana, 18 years and above and of sound mind is entitled to be registered as a voter and to vote in public elections and referenda.
“We firmly believe the EC’s decision to restrict registration centres to their district offices will deprive many eligible Ghanaians of their right to be registered as voters and lead to voter suppression,” he said.
Asiedu Nketiah further argued that the commissioner of the EC, Jean Mensah, has violated the regulations that enjoin the commission to revise its register annually at the electoral level.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s instructive to note that Regulation 30 of C.I. 91 enjoins the EC to revise the voters’ register annually and to do so at the electoral area level. Yet, the Jean Mensah-led EC has violated the law in the last two years by not conducting any limited registration in 2021 and 2022.
“This has created a huge backlog of about 2.8 million eligible persons including unemployed youth who are entitled to be registered. This huge backlog is the more reason why the EC’s decision to restrict voter registration to their district offices is unconscionable and preposterous,” he added.
With reference to previous exercises of similar nature in 2019, Johnson Aseidu Nketiah questioned why the EC will go by the 1500 centres instead of the 268 centres this time.
“In 2019, the EC conducted limited voter registration in 1500 electoral area centres. Why will the EC reduce this number of registration centres to 268 now that they have a huge backlog of about 2.8 million persons to register? It simply doesn’t make sense.
“This irresponsible and unconscionable decision of the commission confirms the NDC’s long-held view that the Jean Mensah-led EC is determined to rig the 2024 elections through voter suppression. But she will fail because we are ready for them,” he argued.
He continued “Aside from its potential to suppress registration and voting, the EC’s decision to restrict voter registration to its district offices can promote and facilitate gerrymandering as agents of political parties will find it difficult to challenge persons who may be bused from one constituency to another to register.”
Source: ghanaweb.com
