The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) yesterday led its allies to demonstrate against the compilation of a new voters register for the 2020 general election and beyond.
Yesterday’s demo in the Greater Accra Region followed two previous ones in the Northern and Ashanti regions.
Demonstrating under the umbrella of the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register (IPRAN), the NDC and its associates believe a new electoral roll will ruin their chances in the next general election.
The country’s election management body, Electoral Commission (EC), has set April 18, 2020 as the date for the commencement of the voter registration exercise across the country.
Per Article 45 (a) of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the EC is mandated to compile voters register for purposes of general elections in the country.
NDC and its followers are denying this constitutional obligation on the EC, insisting it must be done their way and no other way.
The main opposition party and its appendages are simply denying the inevitable as no amount of demonstrations will prevent the EC from carrying out its mandate.
They are threatening to ensure the registration does not take place.
We do not know how the NDC and its partners are going to carry out their threat but we must not allow the tyranny of the few to undermine the liberties of the majority in a constitutional democracy.
NDC and its surrogates are swimming against the tide of conventional wisdom and well-meaning Ghanaians should not allow them to rock the boat.
We are not surprised at the posture of members of the group, particularly the NDC as the main opposition party has never, in its existence, willingly accepted the compilation of new voters’ registers.
NDC accepted after strong resistance, the compilation of new voters’ registers in 1995, 2004 and 2012.
This is the history of the political party we are dealing with and it is important Ghanaians are reminded about this tradition.
The members of the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register know what to do if they genuinely believe the EC is embarking on an exercise that is unconstitutional.
It is their constitutional right to demonstrate on any matter of national importance but it is also the right of the EC to do what is right.
