EC's posture on limited voter registration worse than coup d'etats - Bernard Monarh

Several calls have been made for the Electoral Commission to halt the ongoing limited voter registration on the premise that it will disenfranchise some Ghanaians who can’t make it to the district offices where they are expected to register.

Adding his voice to these calls is the former chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah.

Speaking on the September 19 edition of TV3’s New Day, Bernard Mornah opined that the EC’s insistence on carrying out the limited voter registration exercise is more awful than a coup d’etat.

Bernard Mornah explained that the rigidity of the Electoral Commission is a ticking time bomb that could erupt into a military takeover of the country.

“The posturing of our Electoral Commission is worse than a coup d’etat. And if anybody should be worried about coup d’etats, it is the kind of actions the Electoral Commission is engaging in. Last week, I indicated to you that the constitution of Ghana states in locus classicus in Article 1 that sovereignty resides in the people and it is exercised in their name and for whose welfare should be done,” he said.

Bernard Mornah further shared that the Electoral Commissioners were appointed by the President of the country who is responsible to the people, hence the EC can never say it is independent of the people.

“You cannot be independent of the people in whose name you are exercising that independence. You cannot. You may be independent in terms of functions but in terms of accountability and listening to the welfare and well-being of the people, you cannot be independent,” he added.

Background

The Electoral Commission of Ghana announced that it would commence a registration exercise for eligible Ghanaians who turned 18 years old after the 2020 registration exercise and other eligible voters who could not register on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, who made this disclosure at a press briefing in Accra, dubbed, ‘Let the Citizen Know’, on August 17, 2023, indicated that the registration exercise would end on Monday, October 2, 2023.

She added that the exercise would be held at all the 268 district offices of the EC across the country.

“The voter’s registration exercise will afford Ghanaians who have attained the age of 18 years, since the last registration of 2020 and others who are more than 18 years, but for various reasons couldn’t register during the 2020 registration exercise.

“The EC will embark on voter registration in all 268 district offices of the commission. The exercise will be held from September 12 to October 2,” she said.

However, five opposition political parties jointly filed an injunction to halt the ongoing limited voters' registration exercise.

The five political parties that have come together to file this injunction are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Progressive People's Party (PPP), Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC), and All People’s Congress (APC).

They describe the exercise by the Electoral Commission as an unlawful and unreasonable decision to restrict centres for the upcoming Limited Voter Registration exercise to their District Offices.

The posture of the Electoral Commission on the limited voter registration is worse than a coup d'état - Bernard Mornah#TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/2Fw9TEoz7N

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 19, 2023

According to them, the EC’s decision to restrict the centres of voter registration to their district offices has the potential to deprive many eligible voters of their right to be registered as voters and to vote in public elections.

In the writ by the parties, they stated “a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of articles 45(a) and 42 the constitution, the decision of the 2nd Defendant to undertake the 2023 limited/continues voter registration at the District offices of the 2nd Defendant instead of undertaking same on the basis of electoral areas will result in voter suppression particularly in rural constituencies of the country, and is thus unconstitutional as it violates the rights of the first-time voters to register and vote,” part of the writ stated.

The court is yet to rule on the applications.

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