Executive director of the Danquah Institute, Mr. Richard Ahiagbah has said there is no reason for the issue of the electoral commission’s bid to compile a new register to become a topic unless the constitution is against it.
According to him, the Inter-Party Resistance Against The New Voters’ Register (IPRNA) of which the opposition National Democratic Congress is a leading member has not headed to court since they have no case.
“The parties opposing the new register can only go to court if they have a basis. Because they do not have one they cannot go to the court. And so when you don’t have grounds; you don’t have standing. You don’t go to court which is your right to. And I’m saying you can demonstrate all year round but that does not force the constitutional mandate to be updated. They must do their job if they want to do it.” he said
He went on to cite an example with the “Let My Vote Count Alliance” saying they went to court because they had a case which was the defects found to be in the constitution. Thus if the coalition really has a case, they must go to court.
Addressing some of the issues bodies and individuals against the compilation of a new register have raised on Starr FM’s Morning Star today, he said the issue of cost is created by the constitution since it gives the EC way to compile a new register thus it comes with it. He also adds that EC can listen to those against the compilation but will be consistent with the mandate they have whether to stop or not.
“So if you are demonstrating, you have a right to demonstrate because the constitution gives you the right to demonstrate. And this government cannot tell you no. Police will have to by necessity based on arrangements provide protection for you to demonstrate. Also the constitution gives you that right. The same constitution gives EC right to do register. So now you are demonstrating against somebody’s right to do what the constitution gave that institution to do”. he said
He cautioned the parties against the new register to consider the fact that all they are doing “will amount to nothing unless the EC begins to say that I will not want to abide by the constitution; in which case, I Richard, will start demonstrating because the constitution tells you EC to do it and if you are not doing it, I have a reason why you should do it…”
Mr. Ahiagbah, maintains that the right to compile a new register lies in the power of the commission. He said that if the commission is only doing this because the constitution gives way for them to make the changes.
