Rawlings questions morality of recent voting process

Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday said the outcome of the recent bye-elections do not reflect the true mood of the people on the ground.

He said the flagrant abuse of incumbency was indeed insulting to the intelligence of the electorate and the people as a whole.

The former president said he wondered whether democracy and the entire electoral process were up for sale and whether the sanctity and integrity of the right of choice was being corrupted and compromised.

Former President Rawlings, who is also the Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said at a Press Conference in Accra at which he expressed his views on issues of national interest.

Among those in attendance were members of the Council of Elders, National Executive Committee members, MPs and the general public.

Flt. Lt. Rawlings said the massive injection of money and "gifts", the use of multiple identification cards and under-aged voters during bye-elections in some constituencies all confirm that electoral malfeasance was brazen and seemingly institutionalised.

He said the incredible electoral malpractices being brazenly perpetrated by the ruling party and government are a clear sign of the belief of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the end justifies the means.

The former President said it was therefore, not by coincidence that the Vice President visits only constituencies where bye-elections are pending.

He added that each visit is often followed by unplanned inauguration and "completion" of projects that otherwise would have required longer periods to plan.

Flt. Lt. Rawlings asked: "If the sanctity of the truth is going to be corrupted and prevented from being told, are we not sowing the seeds of discontent and instability? Our people are being denied their right to make choices based on facts, merit and logic, thus clearly undermining the basic principles of democracy."

Flt. Lt Rawlings said the helpless manner in which officials of the Electoral Commission look on while NPP activists openly subvert the Constitution and the electoral process is a major threat to the country's young democracy.

He said: "The growing agitation on everyone's mind then should be what happens to the national truth come December 2004, when President (John Agyekum) Kufuor and his NPP party are expected to be sent back to where they came from? Will they then corrupt and prevent the truth from being heard in 2004 as they are presently doing in the bye-elections."

Former President Rawlings said the government, the people and the Electoral Commission would be abdicating their responsibility of upholding the sanctity and morality of the electoral process if these wrongful activities of the ruling party are not checked.

The NPP has won all three bye-elections held so, taking two seats from the NDC in Bimbilla and Wulensi and retaining the Navrongo Central seat.