NDC And NPP Tensions In Bawku Leads To Suspension Of Voter Registration Exercise: "It Was Unsafe"

• The Electoral Commission has suspended the limited voter registration exercise in Bawku district
• Tensions between the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party caused the suspension
• The commission said it had to protect the lives of its officers and the equipment being used for the registration

Electoral Commission (EC) officers have suspended the limited voter registration exercise in Bawku, Upper East Region, to protect its personnel and equipment amid tensions in the area.

There was reportedly a dispute between the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party in the area.

The Upper East Regional Director of the Commission, Williams Obeng Darkwa, confirmed the development to Joy News, but did not give further details.

“On point of service, we had little misunderstanding among active political players and therefore, in the name of peace, we thought it was unsafe for our personnel and equipment to be exposed.”

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The EC has since said the situation in the area has calmed down, but the registration is yet to resume.

The NDC and NPP are said to have agreed to a roadmap for the peaceful conduct of the voting.

NDC cries foul over registration machines

YEN.com.gh reported earlier that NDC accused the EC of sending faulty machines to its strongholds.

The NDC Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, said there have been no serious issues in New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongholds.

The EC's continuous voter registration is running from Tuesday, September 12, 2023, to Monday, October 2, 2023.

CSO urges citizens to challenge EC

A civil society organisation, CARE GHANA, earlier urged citizens to take an interest in the concerns raised about the voter registration exercise.

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The CSO’s Executive Director, David Kumi Addo, told YEN.com.gh that citizens could also pursue legal action because of the concerns about disenfranchisement.

The group also believes the commission is undermining the decentralisation efforts with its actions.

Lawsuit against registration

The NDC and four other political parties sued the EC because it has restricted the upcoming voter registration exercise to its district offices.

YEN.com.gh reported that the Convention People’s Party, the All People’s Congress, the Liberal Party of Ghana and the Great Consolidated Popular Party joined the NDC in the lawsuit.

The parties were pushing for an interlocutory injunction to restrain the EC, but the case has not been heard.

Source: YEN.com.gh