Professor Ransford Gyampo, a Political Scientist, has called for a cessation in the phenomenon where political parties in power tend to support the Electoral Commission (EC) while those in opposition continue to reject any major programmes by the Election Management Body (EMB).
“We should know that no Electoral Commission has what it takes to rig elections in favour of any political party otherwise the National Democratic Congress (NDC) shouldn’t have been in opposition now,” he stressed.
Prof. Gyampo was speaking as regards protests by some political parties against the EC’s resolve to compile a new voters’ register for the December polls which the Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Register (IPRAN) led by Bernard Mornah, the National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), has been vociferous in their protests against the EC’s move.
Among the reasons for their protests, the parties, notably among them the NDC, fear the move can favour the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
But Prof. Gyampo advised all political parties to know what really wins an election and rather focus attention on that and insisted that “winning an election requires vigilance,” and cited how in 2016 despite their demands for a new voters’ register, the opposition party then, the NPP, emerged victorious as a result of their vigilance at the polls.
“The need for a new voters’ register lies in the arguments made by stakeholders, while the EC is justified, more stakeholder engagement needs to be carried out before the prosecution of such a major decision, the reason adduce the 2012 register was compiled in an election year by then Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, and it can be same this year.
“In the lead-up to the 2012 elections, because of the introduction of the electoral activity there was much tension and chaos to the extent that people died and property was destroyed which even led to the landmark election petition,” Prof. Gyampo indicated. -3news.com
