Doe Adjaho Warns Of Coup

?Those who make peaceful change inevitable?, is often cited populist clich?s revolutionaries use to unjustifiably usurp political power. But the Member of Parliament (MP) for Avenor, Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, a known liberal, says certain acts and doings of government suggest it is making change impossible and thus making violent change inevitable.

?Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable,? the Hon. Member of Parliament for Avenor in the Volta Region, told Kweku Sintim Misa (KSM) on Joy Fm?s Super Morning show programme yesterday.

Host KSM had sought the view of Hon, Adjaho on the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill laid before the House by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Papa Owusu-Ankomah. The amendment to the Representation of the People Bill seeks to make it legal for all qualified Ghanaian voters living abroad to vote in the December general elections.

In the previous elections, only Ghanaians working in our foreign missions and those on peace-keeping operations were eligible to vote. He many not be a know exponent of violent usurpation of power, but the Hon. Adjaho who is the minority chief believes the procedural lapses in the laying of the Representation Amendment Bill raises a lot more question marks on the genuineness of government to conduct free and fair elections this year.

Aside his unacceptance of the conduct of government in its haste to see through the amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, the Hon. Member claims there are other actions taken by government that have heightened the perception that government does not want peaceful change: a situation that begets violence change.

The Hon. MP wondered why as a member of the Business Committee in the House, he did not know of the Bill, and asked if there was no ulterior motive behind the Attorney General?s action. He further revealed that the leadership of the minority was not notified and even believed most members from the minority side on the business committee were also not aware that Amendment Bill would be included on the agenda for the day.

Although the Avenor MP said he was not in the house when the Speaker gave ruling on the issue, he said it was proper that the Speaker referred the matter to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, for urgent consideration and report.