A member of the NDC who has largely in recent times come to be described as a social commentator even by the some members of the party, Mr.Bernard Allotey-Jacobs has stated that despite the ongoing debates and actions concerning the new voters’ register, the country will definitely go to the polls on the 7th of December 2020.
According to him, there has been agitations by parties in past years but yet still elections have been conducted.
“No matter what we do, the elections on 7th December will definitely come off because it is a constitutional mandate. It happened in 1992 when INEC was set up at with Justice Boateng as chairman… and Dr. Afari-Gyan as deputies; we went to the polls after everything that happened. The NPP boycotted the parliamentary elections then but learnt their lessons and joined the 1996 preparations to general elections by calling for certain changes in the electoral laws. One of the most important changes they called for was the use of transparent ballot boxes instead of the opaque wooden boxes we were using then. So it was agreed and replaced with rubber ballot boxes that one sees the ballot papers as votes are cast…” he said
Speaking on the Kokrokoo Morning Show today, he also called on all political parties to stop defending and accusing the electoral commission but make them perform their constitutional duties as expected of them adding that “when will we give respect to the electoral commission that they are an independent body and a referee for the general elections and elections throughout the country?”. He stressed that the work of the Electoral commission is to strengthen democracy in the country by helping elect governments to rule the country.
The former chairman of the NDC in the central region also said that the deputy electoral commissioner, Dr. Bossman-Asare needs to be advised on some statements he makes which he described as “lose talks”. He was worried about this because according to him, the comments he has made over the period only adds more tension to the situation.
“Demonstrations are everyone’s rights but words used to threaten the stability of the country must not be encouraged.” he said raising concerns about comments made by politicians which can contribute in the long run to instability in the country. He adds that we need to maintain the peace this country is enjoying.
