Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako has lambasted the ruling National Democratic Congress for opting out of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) national debate on Ghana's new voters register.
Speaking on Kokrokoo on Peace FM, Kweku Baako expressed surprise at the reasons given by some leading members of the NDC in support of the party's decision.
The NDC had earlier on given the IEA an assurance that it would be participating in their debate on the voters’ register.
But hours to the debate, the ruling party made a controversial U-turn and Mr. Anyidoho claims the party considers the IEA’s platform as one that is unfriendly and could injure them if they decide to be a participant.
Several reasons have been adduced by NDC stalwarts following the party's decision to back out of the debate.
The NDC National Organizer, Kofi Adams, in an interview withNeat FM stated emphatically that the IEA debate was unnecessary.
Deputy General Secretary of the party, Koku Anyidoho speaking on Peace FM's Midday News Bulletin on Tuesday noted that after the NDC's observation of some facts regarding the IEA debate, the party decided to pull out to avoid any "intellectual injury."
“The issue of the voters’ register is no child’s play and all political parties in Ghana have agreed to allow the Electoral Commission (EC) to work on it,” he said.
He further reiterated the NDC's position that the IEA is trying to usurp the powers of the EC, saying “the EC has said they would allow all parties to come and argue out their case on 29th and 30th October then all of a sudden, the IEA organizes an event to get us debate about the same matter”.
“We in the NDC believe Ghanaians would understand us better when we speak on the EC’s platform compared to the IEA’s."
But Mr. Baako has rubbished the NDC's rationale for not attending the debate.
According to him, the IEA's debate was not in any way intended to usurp the authority of the EC as widely-held by the governing party.
“I’m clear in my mind that there’s no way IEA or anybody would even dream for a minute that they can replace the EC. It doesn’t happen. It cannot happen. What’s the big deal if a forum of that nature is held? It’s not a substitute for the EC’s declared forum that we all are privy to it being more critical than any other forum anybody can hold anywhere.
“The idea that only EC should deal with election-related matters in the form that they’re talking about is surprising. It’s shocking. Nobody is saying that we’re enforcing election regulations or enacting election laws…So, they’ve created their own distortion and are using that distortion to fight a cause; in my opinion; a worthless cause!”
He earnestly believed the NDC has deliberately fabricated lies to advance their own cause.
“They have deliberately created it, manufactured it, fabricated it and have put it out there so as to sustain the dubious argument that they’re pushing across,” Kweku Baako stated. |
| |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment