The Minority Caucus in Parliament has vowed to oppose the Electoral Commission of Ghana decision not to use indelible ink, a semi-permanent dye traditionally applied to voters’ fingers to signify the exercise of their franchise and prevent instances of double voting until the commission rescinds the decision.
The Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Adaklu Constituency, Governs Kwame Agbodza addressing a group of the National Democratic supporters in the Volta Region as part of the party’s flagbearer and Former President John Dramani Mahama’s Building Ghana Tour insisted that the Electoral Commission’s decision is an affront to the laws of the country.
According to Mr Governs Agbodza, the Minority in Parliament would use any available medium within its power to ensure that the Electoral Commission (EC) rescinds its decision not to use indelible ink in the 2024 elections.
“Mr President, the EC has conducted illegal District Level Elections… The use of indelible ink is not a discussion. It is a matter of law…But I promise you when Parliament resumes, your gallant Minority side will take the necessary action against the EC. We promise the people of this country that the thinking of conducting the 2024 election without indelible ink or closing at 3 pm can only happen on our dead bodies. It will not happen.”
Governs Kwmae Agbodza
The opposition National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Adaklu Constituency further assured the Former President, John Dramani Mahama, members and supporters of the party in the Volta Region that the National Democratic Members of Parliament in the region together with the party’s regional executives would ensure that every vote in the region is fairly accounted for.
He thus urged Former President John Dramani Mahama to channel his attention and energy to other regions in the country to garner more support for his election into office as President in the 2024 general elections as the Volta Region is very committed to his course and would do all it can to give him a resounding victory in the December 7 polls.
EC Under More Attacks Over Decision Not Use Indelible Ink Ahead of 2024 Polls
Meanwhile, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, has written to the Electoral Commission (EC) requesting that it reverse its decision to forgo indelible ink for the 2024 elections.
The South Dayi legislator argued in a letter to the Electoral Commission that its decision is unlawful and goes against both Regulation 33 of CI 127 and Article 51 of the 1992 Constitution.
“Article 51 of the Constitution 1992 states: The Electoral Commission shall, by constitutional instrument, make regulations for the effective performance of its functions under this Constitution or any other law, and in particular, for the registration of voters, the conduct of public elections and referenda, including provision for voting by proxy.
“In pursuance of Article 51, your Commission gazetted and brought to Parliament in 2020, a Constitutional Instrument to govern the electoral activities of the Commission. It was presented and laid, and after 21 Parliamentary sitting days, the said Constitutional Instrument matured, got serially numbered as CI 127 and has since become part of our electoral laws”.
Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor
The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament therefore, threatened that if the Electoral Commission failed to reverse its decision within 7 days of receipt of his letter, he would employ every lawful means possible to make the electoral management body comply.
According to Mr Dafemakpor, the use of indelible ink is legally part of the country’s electoral authentication process hence the Electoral Commission cannot remove it without any recourse to Parliament which is the only constitutional body mandated to do so.
He posited that the decision if not reversed by the Electoral Commission would amount to the ‘usurpation’ of the legislative powers of the Parliament of Ghana.
The Electoral Commission’s Chairperson, Madam Jean Mensa, announced the Commission’s decision to forgo using indelible ink during a press conference before the district-level election on December 19 2023.
She indicated that the move was part of the Commission’s endeavours to improve the electoral process and create a strong identification system.
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