You can't boycott EC's meeting and still make 'ugly noises' - Kweku Baako to NDC

The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has asked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to make their concerns official to the EC.

The only way they can do that, according to him, is to attend meetings organised by the EC.

However, the largest opposition party decided to boycott an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting being held, Wednesday, May 27 2020.

According to them, the meeting was improperly and illegitimately called.

The NDC previously said such meetings flout directives given by President Akufo-Addo to fight COVID-19 pandemic; insisting the EC is not an essential service.

However, Kweku Baako says their excuse is ‘not sustainable’.

He said since it is not possible to suspend the 2020 election, the EC would have to still put measures in place even if they decide not to go ahead with the new voters’ register.

“I have been hearing them say the EC is not an essential service and that their meetings flout the Covid-19 measures... but it is not sustainable and I’m not sure they should push this.

"If it’s possible to defer this election then we can toy with certain ideas but one thing we cannot change is that the 2020 election will come on whether we like it or not...and so the EC cannot fold their arms all because they are not an essential service...they need to put things in place,” he said while contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'.

No Alternative

Kweku Baako further stated that the NDC “don’t have the luxury of an alternative; they must meet (with the EC) even if they want limited registration exercise; there still have to be a meeting”

So what are we doing...you won’t go to IPAC meeting but you’ll be making noises outside? Pissing in while standing outside”.



Court

Kweku Baako has meanwhile commended the NDC for deciding to go to court saying: “I’m in support of the action they have taken; we will all wait for the outcome”.

The NDC has dragged the Electoral Commission (EC) to the Supreme Court over the compilation of a new voters register.

They are praying the court for an order directed at the EC, to include “all existing voter identification cards duly issued by the 2nd Defendant (EC) as one of the documents serving as proof of identification for registration as a voter for the purposes of public elections”.

Voter registration

The Electoral Commission (EC) has finally announced that the mass voter registration exercise will start from the last week of June and end in the last week of July, this year.

Originally scheduled for April to May, this year, the exercise, which had been bogged down with accusations and counter-accusations from the political parties, was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.