The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has debunked claims that the Electoral Commission has directed the party to table its proposed electoral reforms before the Interparty Advisory Committee for discussion.
However, according to him, the Commission has received the party’s electoral reforms and given guarantee that the proposals will be scrutinized.
Mr Nketia further explained that the Commission’s directive is baffling to him. This, he noted, could mean that the report may be fabricated by the media.
“They (EC) are the first people we sent the reforms to. All the others are copies we are giving to other stakeholders. So, we have given it to Electoral Commission and they have responded. I get surprised at times about some responses I’m hearing in the media which are different from the response we received from the Electoral Commission. Either the media is creating responses for the Electoral Commission or the Electoral Commission is writing to us, saying one thing and granting interviews saying a different thing.
“They (EC) wrote to us. They acknowledged receipt of our reforms and thanked us and assured us they will be looking at those proposals. Then later we heard the media saying that the Electoral Commission says NDC should send the reforms to IPAC”.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia
Electoral Commission versus IPAC
Following this, the NDC General Secretary revealed that media outlets using such reports are not up to date with happenings at the Commission. With this, he indicated that “there is no difference between sending proposals to IPAC and sending proposals to Electoral Commission”.
“If you want to differentiate the Electoral Commission from IPAC, what are you talking about? IPAC is a meeting that is called by Electoral Commission and they set the agenda. So, it is a document that they are in possession of and having read it and determined that it is worthy of some discussion, then they will call a meeting and put it on the agenda”.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia
Additionally, Mr Nketia further justified the party’s decision to reject an invitation from the Commission to attend an IPAC. He explained that the EC is mandated by law to consider the party’s proposals.
“I think that there cannot be that type of parity of reasoning because we pay the EC. EC doesn’t pay us. So, the Electoral Commission is a state institution and we are politicians; we are citizens and the institution has a responsibility towards all of us. I don’t think NDC has any responsibility towards Electoral Commission. So, if you want to argue that type of parity, it doesn’t work that way”.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia
Appointment of Chairpersons of EC
Currently, the NDC in its electoral reforms has suggested that Chairpersons of the EC must be appointed after Parliament has approved their nominations.
According to the party, the mode of appointment is liable to partisan influences. The appointment of the Chairperson of the EC is in accordance with the provisions of Article 70 (2) of the 1992 Constitution.
It 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.”
However, the NDC reckons that, without parliamentary intervention, candidates appointed may not be qualified to meet the EC’s critical requirements.
The proposal forms part of the over 30 recommendations for electoral reforms announced by the NDC.
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