Election date rejection: NPP anti-Ghana - NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the failed move to change the general election date from December to November 7, as “deceit” on the part of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Parliament on Thursday rejected a proposal to change the voting date from the traditional December 7 to November 7. After a vote on the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016, 125 members voted 'Yes' in favour of the date change while 95 voted 'No' to reject the date change.

A total of 184 'Yes' votes were required to ensure that the November 7 date amendment becomes a reality.

Speaking on Starr Today after the votes, the campaign coordinator of the ruling NDC, Kofi Adams, said “we can’t trust the NPP. They led Ghanaians into believing that they wanted this so much… now they are running away and want to put the blame on the Electoral Commission.”

Adams, who is the national organiser of the NDC, noted he is “very highly disappointed and I’m happy this debate was not done in secrecy, but before all Ghanaians. The NPP has proven its anti-Ghana behaviour. For them it is about them and not what the people of this country want.”

“We have seen the true nature of the NPP. We are more than convinced we are winning the elections and because we are winning, the issue of transition is not a problem,” Mr. Adams told host Bernard Nasara Saibu.

Mr. Adams laughed over the NPP’s claims that the Electoral Commission “is not ready” to hold elections on November 7, hence its decision to vote against the change.

He stressed: “NPP has deceived Ghanaians and the EC has spoken clearly that they are more than ready. It is an admission that they [NPP] are not going to win… they know that this government is going to carry on and if there is no need for any transition purposes why look for more time.”