Chairman of ECOWAS, President John Dramani Mahama, is calling for the compilation of a new voters register for Togo after opposition political parties raised issues concerning the current roll, which they claim is “unfit” for use in the April 15, 2015 presidential election.
In this regard, an agreement, under the auspices of President John Mahama, has been struck by the ruling and opposition political parties for a postponement of the election to the new date of May 25, 2015.
According to President Mahama, it was important Togo goes into its presidential election with a register which enjoys the confidence of all parties, and, in view of this, has urged the Togolese authorities to agree to an independent audit of the voters register.
Opposition parties in Togo have some time now questioned the credibility of the country’s voter’s register. In their last press conference, members of political parties battle for political change in 2015 (CAP 2015) reported the existence of several "irregularities" in the electoral roll used in parliamentary elections in July 2013. Thousands of duplicates, they said, were found in just 50 centres for voting.
They added that the grounds were being prepared for President Faure Gnassingbe to win the elections through a questionable voters register and thus called for a review of the register to ensure confidence in the process.
Analysts contacted by the paper have expressed the hope that President Mahama will champion this initiative in his own backyard, where the New Patriotic Party together with Civil Society Organisations are leading the calls for the compilation of a new voters’ register ahead of the 2016 election.
It will be recalled that the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, has on numerous occasions stressed the need for the compilation of a new voters’ register, as the current voter roll is bloated.
The NPP, in its electoral reforms document signed by National Chairman, Paul Afoko, and General Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong, has gone a step further by calling for a new voters’ register which must be audited by an international firm.
According to the 30-page electoral reform document to the Electoral Commission, the main opposition party in Ghana argued that the register for the 2012 elections is “over bloated” and cannot be relied upon for a credible poll next year.
“We agree with now President Mahama and Chairman Afari Gyan’s observation in 2008 that a voters’ register containing 12,472,758 out of a population of 22,000,000, a registration rate of 56.69% is statistically unacceptable. By extension, we submit that the 56.20% voter population in 2012, for the population of 25,000,000 persons, must equally be unacceptable by world standards,” the document said.
The NPP which petitioned the Supreme Court on grounds of alleged serious infractions during the 2012 elections, but lost, therefore made the following recommendations about the Voters’ Register:
1. A new voters register should be created to replace the over bloated 2012 register. We suggest that this register should be created no later than June 2016.
2. The new register that is compiled should be independently audited by an internationally reputable firm before the 2016 election.
3. Copies of the new voters’ register should be provided to political parties in both the electronic (csv file) and (pdf file) formats.
4. The new register should be sorted alphabetically by last name and gender.
5. The new Register should clearly delineate voters registered overseas by country and basis for registration (e.g., mission, scholarship, etc).
6. Statistical data supporting the new voters register (i.e. total number of votes, split by gender, polling stations, electoral area, constituency, region and country) should be provided to political parties.
7. Regulation 2(3) of C.I. 72 Public Election (Regulation 2012) – be amended to read as follows “The Commission shall at least thirty (30) days before the first day of national registration of voters, inform political parties and the general public by publication in the gazette, EC website, on radio, on television or other medium of mass communication of a place it designates as a registration Centre. This shall include overseas registration as well.
8. The Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2012, C.I. 72 be amended to ensure that political parties receive copies of the final register of voters based on which the EC will be conducting the General Elections at least ninety (90) days before the conduct of the elections.
9. Regulations 1(3) (d) of C. I. 72 Registration of voters) be amended to exclude the National Health Insurance (NHIA) card pursuant to the Supreme Court’s judgment on the issue.
10. Regulation 1(4) be amended to read that a registered voter cannot guarantee more than two (2) potential registrants. Copies of such registrations should be made available to the political parties and should also be accessible by the general public.
<<Print>>