PPP, PNC disappointed with Parliament’s decision

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has described Parliament’s decision to reject the November 7 election date as revealing the polarised nature of Ghana’s politics since 1992. 

Relatedly, the People’s National Convention (PNC) has also described the rejection as a betrayal of Ghanaians.

The two parties have, therefore, expressed disappointment at Parliament’s rejection of the November 7 new date, saying that the decision is not in the interest of the state as it upheld a view different from that of the vast majority of Ghanaians.

Background

Last Thursday in Accra, Parliament went into a secret ballot to decide on the proposed November 7 polls that was being pursued by the Electoral Commission (EC) through the Attorney-General’s Department.

The House needed two-thirds majority of members to vote for the proposed change in the election date.

At the end of the polls, 125 MPs voted in favour of the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2016 while 95 objected to it.

That meant that the bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority of members to go through as the Constitution demands.

The polls followed a heated debate over the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2016 by both sides of the house.

While the Majority side argued that the proposed November 7 polls, if approved, would pave the way for enough time for the transition process in the event that there is a change in government,  the Minority argued that they supported the bill in principle but the preparedness of the EC, among others, was not too convincing to warrant their request.

PPP position

A statement signed by the National Secretary of the PPP, Mr Murtala Mohammed, described Parliament’s behaviour as shocking. 

“Clearly  Ghana needs a third force in the current political milieu to hold the balance of power and whip these two political parties in line,” Mr Mohammed stated, adding that “until we are able to effect this, these two parties will continue to take the people of Ghana for granted".

“This is because civil society, NGOs, political parties, religious bodies and government parastatals have agreed in principle that bringing our elections forward will allow enough time to hand over power to a newly elected government successfully. 

“This could avoid the ‘democratic coup take-over’ that characterised the 2000 and 2008 transitions,” it said. 

It said Parliament’s rejection of the amendment also depicted a failed state and a porous system that would need a total overhaul. 

"How do we explain the late arrival of the bill in Parliament? What took the Electoral Commission and the AG’s office so long to lay this bill in Parliament after seven years of accepting to change the election date?" the statement asked.

The statement said it was highly unacceptable for many Members of Parliament to absent themselves in the face of a critical amendment being considered before Parliament. 

"We, therefore, call on the media to investigate and make public the names of those MPs who were absent in order for their constituents to vote against them come the December 7, 2016 elections," it said.

PNC upset

Contributing on a panel discussion on an Accra-based radio station, Radio Gold, the National Chairman of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah, last week said the PNC was disappointed that after series of deliberations, when everybody, including the political parties, had agreed to change the date, Parliament would reject it. 

 “Our Parliament says it is the exclusive body that does not want it…unfortunately our Parliament did not toe the line of the people,” he opined.

Mr Mornah said the rejection of the new date was based on partisan position of the NDC and the NPP and not what would benefit the nation.

Reacting to the assertion that the EC was not ready for the November 7 polls, Mr Mornah asked, “ Since when did the Minority start working with the EC to be able to tell its readiness or otherwise?”.

“The Minority is to seek the nation’s interest and not that of the party. I think we lost a good opportunity to say that Ghana is what we have and not NPP and NDC. I am totally disappointed,” he added.