A youth activist of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Brong Ahafo Region, Kwame Baffoe has sued the Electoral Commission, seeking an injunction on the impending limited registration exercise.
Mr. Baffoe argues that the voters’ register in its current state is flawed and “not fit” for the conduct of the 2016 general elections.
He is thus praying the court to compel the Electoral Commission to cancel the limited registration exercise which has been slated for 18th and 26th April, 2016.
[contextly_sidebar id=”80pqk9AJl6KgvNwcpY1atvGKAVBdpM8b”]”That, unless the EC is restrained by an order of this Honourable Court, the EC will go ahead to conduct the proposed limited registration of voters slated for 18th and 26th April, 2016.”
According to Mr. Baffoe “the proposed limited registration and all related arrangements by the EC will constitute sheer waste of the tax payers’ money.”
Bloated register
The NPP and some pro-opposition groups including the Let My Vote Count Alliance had demanded the compilation of a new voters’ register for the 2016 general elections saying the current one is bloated with names of foreigners and minors.
They have also put pressure on the commission to implement the recommendations by a committee it set to oversee arguments for a new voters register.
The NPP activist in his statement of claim also argued that the EC “has not put in place any effective measures to avoid or prevent the registration of foreigners, minors and other constitutionally ineligible persons from being registered in the proposed limited registration exercise.”
“That the proposed limited registration and all related arrangements by the EC are undemocratic and flies in the face of the principles of good governance,” he added.
Meanwhile, the court is expected to sit on the matter on April 6, 2016.
EC sued ‘bloated’ voters’ register
Kwame Baffoe, had earlier this year filed a suit at the Supreme Court, challenging the eligibility of some names on the voters’ register.
The NPP activist was seeking ten reliefs, which included an order compelling the defendants to compile a new and credible national voters’ register for use in this year’s general election.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana