EC says it did not play any role to disenfranchise SALL from voting in 2020 elections
The Electoral Commission (EC) says it played no role in disenfranchising the people of Santrokofi, Apkafu, Lolobi, and Lipke (SALL) /Guan District in taking part in the 2020 Parliamentary elections.
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The EC in a statement dated May 16, 2024, said the situation that led to the people of SALL not taking part in the Parliamentary elections in the 2020 was not created by the Commission.
The people of SALL could not vote in the 2020 parliamentary elections due to the creation of a constituency in the area by the
The EC explained that "As explained in our previous statement, given that the Legislative Instrument that created the Guan District came into force on 9th November 2020, the same day Parliament went on recess, and with Parliament only returning from recess on 14th December 2020, that is, after the General Elections, the Constitutional Instrument creating the Guan Constituency could not be laid before Parliament, in time for it to mature into law before the Parliamentary Election on 7th December 2020."
"It is therefore disingenuous for anyone to suggest that, under the circumstances outlined, that the Commission in performing its constitutional duty, disenfranchised the good people of SALL/ Guan District," the EC stated.
The EC further noted that if the people of SALL had been allowed to vote in the 2020 parliamentary elections, that would have violated the country's 1992 Constitution, saying "That situation was not the creation of the Electoral Commission. The Commission did not create the Guan District neither was it consulted when decision was taken to create the Guan District."
It added, "When the Guan District was created out of the Jasikan District as per Legislative Instrument 2416, by the operation of law, voters in the new Guan District could not vote for an MP in the Buem Constituency of the Jasikan District Assembly. Doing so would have violated Act 936."
The EC in its statement said the Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe "has continued to misinform and mislead the public by making reference to a public statement issued by the Commission on 6th December 2020."
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Similarly, the Commission said, other citizens, including Prof. Kwaku Asare, have made similar sentiments, creating an impression that it was the Commission's fault that led to the people of SALL not voting in the Parliamentary elections of 2020 in the area.