Political parties have expressed shock at the Electoral Commission (EC)’s statement Saturday that its controversial November 7 elections Steering Committee has not been suspended.
After an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting with the EC on Friday, the political parties emerged with the understanding that the committee set up by the Commission has been suspended.
The political parties had raised concerns about the necessity of a Steering Committee at the meeting. The parties said the EC failed to provide satisfactory answers to questions about why it set up the steering committee.
The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the People’s National Commission (PNC) expressed satisfaction about the decision to suspend the committee.
However, the EC in a most surprising turnaround released a statement Saturday saying that the political parties got the outcome of the meeting wrong.
The Commission says reports of the suspension of its steering committee are "erroneous" and "should be disregarded".
National Organiser of PNC, Desmond Twumasi, told Joy News after the EC released the statement that the party is dumbfounded by the turn of events.
“Indeed yesterday [Friday] when we were at the IPAC meeting they [EC] did apologise for what they’ve done and that they are going back to the drawing board. We are surprised for them to come and tell us this story,” he said.
He said the Commission’s turnaround is a clear indication that the EC “themselves don’t seem know what they are about to do.”
CPP General Secretary, Abdul Kadri, also told Joy News the EC is yet to officially communicate to the party about the new developments.
The political parties and social commentators have raised concerns about the exact mandate of the Steering Committee. Questions have also been asked about the selection process of the Committees membership.
Some members of the Committee have been identified to have affiliations with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
<<Print>>