RIDDING THE ELECTORAL PROCESS OF JOKERS
ABOUT two weeks ago, an aspiring independent presidential candidate held a news conference in Accra to announce his candidature for the December election. The man who is in his late 70’s, was unaccompanied to the Accra International Conference Centre, the venue for the conference, and reportedly pleaded with journalists present to volunteer to chair the function for him.
Looking at the embarrassing situation, a reporter of a private daily newspaper volunteered to chair the function, which generated laughter. The situation was indeed, ridiculous a parody and travesty that can only beget mirth.
There are people falling within this same category and indeed some political parties which have announced their intentions to contest the election but have flouted a vital provision of the electoral law which is office accommodation.
The law among other things requires that every political party opens and operate offices in at least two-thirds of all the districts in the country.
We call on the Electoral Commission to make an inspection tour of structures of political parties throughout the country before granting them official licenses to operate.
It is important for the EC to ensure that political parties do not flout the electoral laws of this country.
The EC must examine its own electoral laws and enforce them rigidly and to the letter.
We are not comfortable with the situation where certain individuals use their homes as party offices.
Indeed, there is enough evidence to show that certain individuals have set up political parties from their homes and make occasional noises only to draw attention to their inadequacies and lack of capacity and will to exist as political parties in the real sense of the term.
Any political party that seeks the mandate of the people, must identify itself with the electorate no matter where it is located. It’s grassroot existence must, therefore, be made a requirement for licensing.
The Times believes that after 51 years of the country’s independence and 16 years of the Fourth Republic, the time has come for the electoral process to rid itself of jokers and charlatans who just add to the numbers but have nothing serious to contribute to the country’s democratic development.
We urge the EC to be alive to its responsibilities and bring all political parties and individuals who are flouting the electoral laws to book.