The National Democratic Congress in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency has expressed its dissatisfaction with the Electoral Commission’s ongoing limited voter registration exercise in the constituency.
The opposition party in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency in a statement issued by its Communication Directorate recounted that the exercise which is expected to be a simple routine procedure to update the electoral roll has instead resulted into frustration among locals.
The statement pointed out what the opposition party suspect as a deliberate attempt by the Electoral Commission to disenfranchise several voters within the constituency.
The National Democratic Congress in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency began by expressing dismay at the Electoral Commission’s mode of delineating the constituency for its limited voter registration exercise.
The statement emphasized that despite the vast geographical distribution of the constituency in addition to about 15 electoral areas, the Electoral Commission established only six registration centres for its limited voter registration exercise.
The statement recounted that the allocation appears unbalanced and failed to take into account the vast geographical distribution of the constituency, with certain zones glaringly underrepresented.
Notably, the statement indicated that the Middle Belt zone, a critical area in the constituency, has been overlooked entirely with all eligible voters residing within such geographical location having access to only one registration centre situated in the Middle Belt.
“This blatant disregard for equitable access to registration centres is unacceptable. It effectively disenfranchises a significant portion of the electorate, forcing them to undertake arduous journeys to distant registration centres or the district EC office in Daboya”.
NDC Communication Directorate, Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency
Furthermore, the National Democratic Congress in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency raised questions regarding the scheduling of the registration exercise within the constituency
The statement, particularly questioned the feasibility and efficacy of the Electoral Commission using only two days to conduct the registration exercise in each of the satellite registration centers.
The statement lamented over the daunting task of registering hundreds of voters within such a short timeframe, describing the timeframe as impractical, if not impossible.
Persistent Network Distruptions Hampers Registration Exercise
Compounding these challenges according to the National Democratic Congress in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency are logistical issues, which the statement noted include persistent network disruptions that have hampered registration efforts at the Daboya office, leaving it virtually inactive since the commencement of the exercise.
Moreover, the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency expressed deep concerns over what it describes as the deafening silence among government officials and leading members of the ruling party within the constituency.
The statement bemoaned the perceived lack of proactive intervention from the Electoral Commission and key government officials, including the parliamentary candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Tika Yeyu, accusing them of complicity towards the plight of constituents.
“Is the silence of government officials and NPP leaders indicative of a hidden agenda? One cannot help but wonder whether political interests are prioritized over the welfare of the electorate”.
NDC Communication Directorate, Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Directorate in the Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency in a call for action urged the Electoral Commission to address the challenges surrounding the ongoing limited voter registration exercise within the constituency.
Highlighting the financial burden placed on voters, particularly those from remote areas, the opposition party within the Daboya/Mankarigu urged government officials, including the NPP parliamentary candidate, to add their voice to the call for the Electoral Commission to take immediate action to address the perceived challenges confronting the limited voter registration exercise.
The statement further emphasized that as representatives of the people, it is incumbent upon government officials to prioritize the interests of their constituents, stressing that the failure to address such concerns not only undermines the democratic process but also exacerbates the hardship faced by voters.
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