NPP punches holes into NDC’s electoral proposals, describes it as bizarre
NPP calls NDC’s proposed electoral reforms, bizarre and problematic
Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has punched holes into the recent 34 electoral reforms suggested by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), describing it as problematic and bizarre.
According to the Director of Research and Elections of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Evans Nimako, although the NDC is allowed to have their electoral proposals, he finds it unusual that they blame the Electoral Commission for losing the 2020 Presidential election.
He could not fathom why the NDC is not complaining about the EC after winning many seats in the parliamentary polls.
“I’m saying that the proposals of the NDC, they are entitled to it, but they are problematic and bizarre. The NDC has issues with the conduct of the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections.
“The same election that was conducted by the EC that they managed to obtain 137 seats in parliament or that one they don’t have issues but the presidential that they lost and went to court and loss again, they are challenging it and attributing their loss to the EC,” he said.
Mr Nimako further expressed that he does not think the EC should be faulted in any way as it has afforded political parties the chance to review the 2020 election.
NDC is calling for the change in the mode of appointment of the electoral commissioners where they would go through Parliamentary approval. They believe the current method of appointment makes the commissioners susceptible to presidential influence as they are appointed based on the provisions of Article 70 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, which states that, “the President shall, acting on the advice of the Council of State, appoint the Chairman, Deputy Chairmen, and other members of the Electoral Commission.”
Reacting to that request, Mr Nimako argued that there’s no fault with the current mode of appointment of the EC bosses. He added that “NPP under the 1992 constitution in this 4th republican era, we’ve won election in 2000 when the EC was not appointed by the NPP. We won 2016 when Madam Charlotte Osei was the EC Chair, so we don’t think that the problem is EC.”
The EC has asked the NDC to present their proposals to the Interparty Advisory Committee (IPAC) for dialogue. The Commission said it is open to suggestions and feedback to enhance its electoral process but insists IPAC is the appropriate forum for such suggestions.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
