We can’t be blamed for controversy on election date – EC

The Electoral Commission says the commission cannot be blamed for the current controversies that have rocked the change of date for the 2016 general elections.

The Head of Administration at the Commission, Mr. Christian Owusu Parry told Kasapa News the commission has done its work by consulting widely and gazetting the law requesting a constitutional amendment to bring the election date to fruition.

He said they are currently awaiting the Attorney General to push the bill to parliament for consideration.

Interacting with Kasapa FM’s Kwaku Opare on the sidelines of a programme held in the capital to announce European Union’s (EU) release of a grant to support Ghana’s polls, Mr Parry said the EC can’t be blamed for the partisan stance on the bill.

The Majority Leader, Alban Bagbin has cautioned that unlike other bills, this amendment bill needs a super-majority before it can become law. It means if any side of the divide has issues with the bill, it will impede the passage of the bill.

But, the Minority appears to have issues with legislating the new elections date of November 7.

The December 7 date always puts a strain on the arrangement for a transition whenever there are run-offs where the Constitution mandates for the transition to be done on January 7.

There were similar cases in the years 2000 and 2008 where a second round of voting was required to determine the winner of the presidential poll.