Politics

CDD: Nation’s peace, stability, democracy paramount

The Center for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana has called on both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Electoral Commission (EC) to put their differences aside and protect the nation’s peace, stability and democracy which are paramount.

It raised concerns about the two sides recently describing each other as threats to the nation’s democratic dispensation and stressed on the need for accommodation to talk and be respectful of each other.

The Centre noted that respect for each other is better for the country and expressed worry about recent contention which stem from differences over handling of the limited voter registration exercise.

Dr Kojo Asante, the Director for Advocacy and Policy Engagement at CDD Ghana, said the nation’s peace, stability and democracy were paramount, as there were bigger stakes ahead and there was the need for the commission to find ways not to personalise interactions, in order not to get distracted from the job of ensuring credible and peaceful electoral process.

“I really want to entreat the commission as a whole to ensure that issues are not projected to create acrimony for everybody,” he cautioned.

Recently, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, appeared to harbour some prejudice against his party.

“Every issue we the NDC have raised has been legitimately based on our rights as provided by law, in most cases, they have come to apologise, if you ask us what we are doing against the EC, it will be like victim blaming because we are the victim, the party insisted EC must stick to decentralisation of the exercise up to electoral area levels instead of 260 districts offices,” Mr Nketia pointed out.

However, Dr Bossman Asare, the Deputy Chairperson of EC, had indicated that the NDC had not given the commission chance to prove its neutrality due to the party’s posture saying, “I think if there is anyone who is becoming a threat to democracy in our country, then I will rather say it is the posture of the NDC.

“Since the new commission took over, we have noticed some things have transpired,  before the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, allegations were rife the register was bloated, the NDC feared narrowing exercise to just district offices will disenfranchise voters, a claim the commission rejected.” -citinewsroom.com

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