The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketsiah have been asked to resign for misrepresenting the ruling of the Supreme Court with regards to the party’s legal action against the Electoral Commission and the Attorney General.
The call, which was made by the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem, George Mireku Duker [who is an MP of the ruling NPP], suggested the General Secretary should honour the integrity of his office by resigning peaceful for misinforming the public. He noted that Johnson Asiedu’s hasty conclusions after the ruling is a reflection of a premeditated action, and that could be replicated in the upcoming general elections.
“If it were to be a different country Asiedu Nketiah would have resigned immediately from his position. If I were to be a member of the NDC I would have resigned from the party,” Mr. Duker reiterated.
He thus urged the NDC General Secretary to render an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for such blunder.
Johnson Asiedu Nketsia is reported to have stated that the party’s reliefs sought from the Supreme Court have been granted.
He said “the court has just delivered the verdict which has granted our request for the inclusion of the existing voter card as breeder document for the compilation of the new voters’ register. We feel vindicated.”
Contrary to his stance on the ruling the EC has issue a brief to clarify the ruling of the Supreme Court, one that made no confirmation to the claim by the NDC.
The EC noted in their release that; “The Supreme Court directed the Commission and all its stakeholders to comply with Articles 42 and 45 of the 1992 Constitution and C.I 126, Public Election (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020”
By such conclusions provisions or requirements for the registration of an applicant excludes the use of the old voter ID cards.
The EC reference provisions in the CI. 126, as;
(3) “A person who applies for registration as a Voter shall provide evidence of identification, one of the following;
(a) A passport
(b) A National Identification Card issued by the National Identification Authority; or
(c) One Voter Registration identification guarantee form as set out in Form One of the Schedule, that has been completed and signed by two registered voters.”; and
(a) By the substitution for sub-regulation (4) of “4) Despite paragraph (c) of sub-regulation (3), a Registered Voter shall not guarantee the identity of more than ten persons.”