|
Release
NPP
September 06 2012
NPP ON PROVISIONAL VOTER REGISTER
EXHIBITION
The New Patriotic Party expresses concerns about grave
happenings within the EC that has the potential of disrupting
this year’s Election.
The integrity of the electoral process is seriously being
undermined by the EC’s refusal to follow the law by refusing to
give the NPP and other political parties copies of the
provisional register as stated in section 21 (2) of CI-72 and
even post it on their website as in section 22 (3).
The rationale for the parties obtaining copies of the
provisional register is to ensure transparency and integrity of
the register and also to enable the parties and all Ghanaians
participate in cleaning the register (objections, corrections
etc.) to make it credible for the 2012 Election.
As we write, in the middle of the exhibition, names and photos
of the registered voters have been omitted at some Polling
Stations, some areas also do not have registers, names of
persons have been misplaced (from one Polling Station to
another) etc. Worse still, the exercise has not yet begun in
some other polling stations due to the non-availability of the
register. This has happened especially in the Ashanti and
Greater Accra regions and other populous areas. What we are
observing at various centres in Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo
and Greater Accra regions are very alarming and disturbing.
That may explain the EC’s refusal to give us copies for us to
scrutinize and help clean the register to ensure a credible one.
We had to battle with EC to even permit our agents at the
exhibition centres and district electoral offices. Is this a
deliberate attempt to hide major flaws and failings in the
current register?
The exhibition process as stated in CI-72 (22-25) is the only
period when objections, claims, exclusions etc. can be made in
the register for the necessary rectification to be done.
Considering that the register is a biometric one, all errors
need to be thoroughly corrected to prevent voter
disenfranchisement during polling day.
We wish to draw the attention of the public that it was agreed
at IPAC that all the centres to be opened on polling day, be
used as the exhibition centres so as not to confuse voters
during the elections. This has not been implemented for the
exhibition, meaning that on polling day especially in the
cities, there would be a potential for confusion. A voter may be
in the queue for hours only to be informed to go to another
centre. Why has the EC failed to implement what has been agreed
at IPAC?
We hereby demand:
1) An extension of the exhibition period
2) A public explanation as to why all the mess in some selected
regions and Polling Stations (Ashanti, Greater Accra, Brong
Ahafo and Eastern Regions)
3) An immediate convening of IPAC to deliberate on the issues
and other pertinent matters.
4) A copy of the Provisional Register to enable the Party to do
an effective scrutiny and help with cleaning it.
5) Number of exhibition centres that in addition to the
provisional voters register, must have exemptions and multiple
registration lists
6) That the E C provides the provisional voters register to
centres still without any for the exhibition to commence without
delay.
Signed
Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey
(NATIONAL CHAIRMAN)
|
