We Can't Risk Our Lives For Political Power...Manage With Old Register - Martin Kpebu To EC
Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu has urged the Electoral Commission to put aside its decision to compile a new voters' register and rather concentrate on conducting the limited registration exercise.
According to him, the number of people who will take part in the limited registration exercise is smaller and can be managed than the numbers for a new voters' register.
Election 2020
Martin Kpebu who was contributing to a panel discussion on UTV's "Critical Issues", said even though there is the need for the country to vote in December 7, 'we are not prepared for a new register'.
"As for the election; we need to vote…but I am not in support of a new voters’ register but I'm all for a limited voters’ registration. We are not prepared for a new register; at this moment we need money and so they should manage the old register…we used the old register for the last election. We’ve spent a lot of money in this corona period..."
Some political pundits including the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been raising issues over the EC's insistence on compiling a new voters' register despite the increasing number of infections.
While some question how the EC intends conducting the exercise without flouting the COVID-19 measures, others wonder how the social distancing rule can be observed.
Martin Kpebu insists there is no need to risk anyone's life for 'political gain'.
"We don’t have to risk our lives for political power…" he added.
EC Unrelenting
The EC since last year has justified why it needs to compile a new voters' register for the 2020 general elections.
The electoral body claim it will ensure a more credible and efficient election than the existing one.
Madam Sylvia Annor, Head of Public Affairs at the EC in an interview on the same platform allayed the fears of Ghanaians insisting that the Commission is putting measures in place to ensure the safety of Ghanaians.
According to her, since Ghanaians are still going to the bank and visiting market places, a new voters register can equally be compiled.
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