Let’s change 50% +1 vote win in elections – Abu Sakara

The presidential candidate of the Convention People Party (CPP) in the 2012 elections, Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster, has called for an amendment to the 1992 constitution especially the aspect that deals with elections in Ghana.

He told Alfred Ocansey on 3FM’s morning show, Sunrise, Tuesday, June 16 that the constitution has entrusted political power into the hands of a few people who win elections to form a central government.

This development, he explained, has resulted in the bitterness and acrimony associated with election defeats in Ghana.

He further noted that the winner-takes-all aspect of the constitution has been a major problem for Ghana’s democracy.

Explaining, the agronomist said this makes a chunk of the population feel neglected from the day-to-day administration of the country, a situation he said, is warding off the neglected ones from contributing their ideas to the socio-economic development of the country.

“When we look at our constitution and the way we have been managing, the first and the foremost thing that [disturbs] the collective efforts and everybody putting their energies together is if one group of people feels everything belongs to them and the other people get nothing or don’t get what they want.

“This comes from the winner takes all aspect of the constitution,” the Founder of the National Interest Movement (NIM), said.

He suggested: “Let us have a referendum and change that 50 % plus One and have a majority system with the opportunity to form a coalition government. When you do it that way the power base will broaden at the bottom.”