NDC repeat calls on govt. to leave Electoral Commission alone

Cape Coast Oct.4, GNA- The National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Iddrisu Haruna on Saturday repeated calls by the party urging the government not to interfere with the work of the Electoral Commission (EC) and that any such action, was tantamount to the violation of the 1992 constitution. He argued that Article 46 of the constitution, categorically states that the independence of the EC shall not be interferred with, adding that if the government was committed to the principles of free and fair elections, for which the EC was established to ensure, it must leave the EC alone.

Mr Haruna, who was inaugurating the Central Regional and Cape Coast constituency branches of Youth Working Wommittees of the NDC at the Cape Coast Town hall, was commenting on the government's intention to set up a procurement committee for the EC. He wondered why the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should today be suspicious of the neutrality of the EC, when it was the Commission which bought electoral equipment and supervised the 2000 general elections that catapulted it to power.

On his party's preparedness towards next year's elections, the National Youth Organiser, reiterated that its members were "more united than ever before ", and that the party was poised to wrest political power from the NPP, and warned that any attempt by the ruling party to rig the elections, would be "fiercely resisted". "The NDC as a political party is ever committed to the principles of democracy and will therefore, never do anything that will mar the democratic dispensation of the country and it is imperative that the NPP does same by leaving the EC alone," he stressed.

However, in a welcoming address, the Regional Chairman of the party, Dr. Ato Quarshie called on the supporters to eschew petty squabbles that have the tendency to create disunity amongst them and derail their chances of defeating the NPP in the forthcoming elections.

He exhorted the party's supporters to be more vigilant during that period, to ensure that the results were not rigged, emphasising that the NDC will win all the 17 seats in the region. The Regional Organiser of the Party, Mr. Kofi Adams assured the members that the youth of the party were prepared to do anything within the confines of the law, to bring it back to power and therefore, called on the national executives to give them their full support. He appealed to the press to be circumspect in their reportage, as the election period was fast approaching, and urged them to discharge their duties without any bias and adhere to the code of ethics of their profession, to ensure that they do not do anything that would disturb the peace that the nation was now enjoying.

Mr Adams, by virtue of his position as the Regional Organiser, was appointed Chairman of the 35-member Regional Youth Working Committee to be assisted by Mr. Abeiku Aggrey and James Mettle, whiles Alhaji Habib Abdul-Rahman, the Regional Vice-Chairman was appointed Patron. Mr Yaw Ennin, was appointed the Chairman of the Cape Coast Constituency Youth Working Wommittee, Mr Alex Azameti, Secretary and Mr. Sampson Ahianyo, Director, Research and Propaganda.