New Voters’ Register: Baako Backs NDC, But Says Tussle Is a ‘Storm In a Tea Cup’

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) seems to have gained a lot of support in raising an objection to a communique issued by the Electoral Commission.

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and other parties that went to the IPAC meeting have backed the NDC’s claim that the issue of a new voters’ register was not discussed at the meeting.

 The EC in a communique after the IPAC meeting indicated there has been a conclusion on a new voters' register after 'an exhaustive deliberation'.

However, the NDC condemned the EC for misleading the public since nothing like that was discussed extensively.

The EC subsequently clarified that the new voters’ register will be in 2020 and that there will be another meeting to discuss it.

Adding his voice to this, the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper says the NDC are ‘justified’ in their claim; however, he claims they could have made their case without engaging in a tussle with the Commission.

“The NDC were justified in their concerns but I think they started from the right premise and drew a wrong conclusion. You brought the attention of the public to the error and that is right, and the EC responded . . . if you start from a premise and then you read into it an election-rigging motive, it doesn’t help . . . My appeal is that if you recognize an error, I’m not saying don’t say it but don’t read into it,” he stated.

Storm in a teacup

Kweku Baako further described the banter between the EC and the NDC as ‘a storm in a teacup’

According to him, “after listening to all sides, it’s obvious there was a problem with the release” . . . however, when it was clarified that the new voters’ register will be done in 2020, “I concluded it’s a storm in a teacup because there will be further consultations”.

“My view is that when this happens; we can issue one statement and clarify, but the continues attack doesn’t help anybody,” he told the EC and the NDC while contributing to a panel discussion on Joy newsfile programme, Saturday.