The Concern Voters Movement (CMV), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) focusing on electoral processes, has called for the discontinuance of the ‘yes’ vote and demand Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) consensus since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has advocated a ‘no’ vote.
“The betrayal of the NDC and its Minority will be a clear sabotage to the referendum and there is no way we can achieve the yes vote since the NDC has advocated a no vote and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should campaign and vote against election of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) since NDC has failed to support such a laudable policy.
“We urge NPP and the President to discontinue the campaign for a yes vote in the upcoming MMDCEs referendum on Tuesday December 17, 2019,” it said.
A statement signed by Razak Opoku, founder and president of the movement, said though it was a campaign promise to the citizenry, there was the need to admit such a policy required constitutional amendment unlike other campaign promises.
“We need two-thirds majority in Parliament to amend Article 243(1) of the constitution and 75 per cent of total valid votes cast during the referendum to pave way for amendment to Article 55(3) of the constitution.
“Majority will need assistance and support of Minority to reach two-thirds majority to amend Article 243(1) to pave way for election of MMDCEs, whether election of MMDCEs should be partisan or non-partisan, policy will require the citizenry through referendum”.
“If, no vote wins referendum, it will create suicidal tendencies for NPP ahead of 2020 elections and give political audacity to the 2020 campaign of the NDC. NPP, avoid political risk factors associated with election of MMDCEs, boycott referendum and shoot down amendment processes for Article 243(1) in Parliament.
“The NPP should not allow the National Commission on Civic Education, Institute of Democratic Governance, Centre of Democratic Development and NDC to cause political misfortunes for them, however, CVM is against election of MMDCEs due to “political stance” of NDC,” the statement said. -GNA
