EC’s U-turn a facade - LMVCA

The pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), says it is treating media reports suggesting that the Electoral Commission (EC) has finally agreed to do validation of the voters’ register with cautious optimism.

The LMVCA says despite the reports of the sudden shift in position of the EC, it is still apprehensive about the commitment of the electoral body to the process.

Media reports yesterday suggested the EC had agreed ‘in principle’ to do a validation or verification of the voters’ register ahead of the elections in a document titled ‘Audit of the Voters’ Register’, which was said to have been circulated to all registered political parties in the country, which constitute the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).

The position of the EC is a sharp contrast to its initial stance that it will not alter the existing register, because there was nothing wrong with it. But the LMVCA, which has championed the crusade for the EC to either compile a new register or do a validation of the existing one, says it cannot hold the electoral body for their words, considering the fact that the EC has, in the past, gone back on its words.

The Convener of the Alliance, David Asante, told Samuel Bokeem of Hello FM in Kumasi in an interview yesterday, that it suspects the EC has conveniently taken that position, just to shrug off criticisms, but may end up not doing anything other than carrying out an exhibition and limited registration.

David Asante argued that the EC cannot be trusted for its words, adding that the electoral body has demonstrated time and again that it is not consistent, and cannot be trusted for its mere words.”

"We will jump and clap over that; we want to see the Commission put their words into action, otherwise we see it as an avenue to deceive Ghanaians into thinking that the EC is changing its position, but, in actual fact, nothing will change,” he pointed out.

According to him, until they are convinced that the Commission has actually started the process of validation, they will prefer to sit on the fence. The LMVCA Convener also pointed out that the group has no intention of backing down on its national crusade to force the EC to do the right thing. ”At the moment, we have received several calls from across the country, inviting us to come and demonstrate against the EC,” he said.