We can't risk our lives for political power, manage with old register - Martin Kpebu to EC

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu has urged the Electoral Commission to put aside its decision to compile a new voters' register and rather concentrate on conducting the limited registration exercise.

According to him, the number of people who will take part in the limited registration exercise is smaller and can be managed than the numbers for a new voters' register.

Martin Kpebu who was contributing to a panel discussion on UTV's "Critical Issues", said even though there is the need for the country to vote in December 7, 'we are not prepared for a new register'.

"As for the election; we need to vote…but I am not in support of a new voters’ register but I'm all for a limited voters’ registration. We are not prepared for a new register; at this moment we need money and so they should manage the old register…we used the old register for the last election. We’ve spent a lot of money in this corona period..."

Some political pundits including the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been raising issues over the EC's insistence on compiling a new voters' register despite the increasing number of infections.

While some question how the EC intends conducting the exercise without flouting the COVID-19 measures, others wonder how the social distancing rule can be observed.

Martin Kpebu insists there is no need to risk anyone's life for 'political gain'.

"We don’t have to risk our lives for political power…" he added.