STATEMENT – THE PUBLISHED IPAC COMMUNIQUE SMELLS FOUL
The Caucus for Democratic Governance (CDG-GH) has observed, that the official announcement issued by the Electoral Commission after the IPAC meeting held on Wednesday, 27th March, 2019 is full of inconsistencies.
Invariably, some issues found in the communiqué have no bearing to the discussions or the agenda. At the meeting under review, the EC presented for discussion its programmed activities for 2019. If the program was meant to discuss compilation of new register, it would have appeared on the agenda.
The EC agenda has the following:
Preparations for the 2019 District Level Elections.
Inspections of Political Party Offices.
Updates on the compliance of the Political Parties with Audit requirements.
In view of the above agenda, it is remarkable that the EC Chairperson issues a communiqué stating; and I quote “The Commission will compile a new voter’s register ahead of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary election”. The compilation of a new voters register was not one of the items on the agenda and so could not and should not have been discussed.
Whom is the EC Chairman trying to kid? A sensitive issue such as the compilation of a new register, which has for quite some time, provoked heated discussions, cannot carelessly and silently be smuggled into a discussion at a meeting with specified agenda. An important issue such as compilation of a new voters register, certainly has to be part of an agenda if it should be discussed.
Besides the communiqué was signed by EC Chairperson without the signature of the various Political Party representatives. I think it is time to review the mandate of IPAC before the EC Boss uses IPAC as an appendage to execute her objectives and motives that do not serve the interest of fairness and neutrality.
Video footages during the referendum from social media report, show EC officials rigging the referendum processes. Now the EC Boss herself strangely smuggles into a communiqué an item which was not on the agenda.
It is the hope and expectations of the CDG-GH that the EC chairperson would learn to be transparent, fair, credible and neutral. It is the only way to avoid dragging the EC into needless controversies that would eventually course confusion and bloodshed in 2020.
Dr E.K.Hayfod
Chief Convener CDG-GH
0277606338 / 0501646136
