Security expert, Col. Festus Boahen Aboagye (Rtd.) has expressed worry over why each political party in power sides with the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision and changes when it gets to opposition.
He says the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) which now supports every decision of the EC was against the Commission’s decisions when it was in opposition, likewise the NDC who also doesn’t agree with decisions of the EC in most occasions but had a different approach when it used to be in government.
Speaking on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Thursday, August 01, 2024, the retired military officer indicated that the development is a fact no one can explain.
“In fact the other thing no one can explain is that, within each administration, the ruling party is also on the part of the EC when EC must be neutral. When NDC is in power NDC is supporting the EC, when NPP is in power, NPP is supporting the EC, why should it be like that? So both of these parties and all of the political actors also have a role to play,” he indicated.
Col. Aboagye’s comments come on the back of concerns raised by the National Security Minister on the need to build a robust Electoral Commission whose decisions would be accepted by all.
According to him, recent comments from politicians depict their lost in trust in the court system, expressing fears that a politician may not opt for a legal redress in a future election defeat considering recent comments from them.
During a forum in Accra Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Mr. Kan Dapaah urged the politicians not to run down the judiciary with its comments, expressing that their utterances could be a recipe for chaos.
“We may for the first time experience a situation where none of the major political parties will be willing to explore the courts to address their grievances.
“Indeed I have heard some senior people in the political space saying that, that they have lost faith in the courts’ ability to address their concerns when it comes to elections. So this can create a situation that can set the stage for chaos.
“And it underscores the need for us to build a robust and transparent electoral system where results coming from same will be acceptable by all parties,” he indicated.
The Minister further urged citizens to prioritise peace in the upcoming polls.
“Ghanaians must also be aware of their responsibilities. They must not allow themselves to be used by politicians who lose elections. Peace is very expensive and sometimes we have to make sacrifices one time or the other to maintain it. So may nobody participate in violence. So those who lose, accept it peacefully,” he noted.
Source:onuaonline.com