A private legal practitioner, Nana Asante Bediatuo has described the decision by Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Charlotte Osei not to vote as nonsense.
According to him,the EC boss should serve as an example to the electorate as her decision to abstain from voting in the December 7 General elections could breed apathy among Ghanaians.
“It doesn’t make sense to me because I think you want to encourage people.What is the job of the electoral commission?Its to conduct elections,to enforce electoral laws,to create a climate where there is a citizen participation in the election because that is the bedrock of our democracy”
It will be recalled that somewhere in August this year, the EC boss speaking in an interview on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, said “I will not be voting on the election day like you because I don’t want to. It is not compulsory, it is a special privilege.”
Speaking in an Interview with Kapital radio’s Prince Cobby Houston as guest on DJ’s jam, Nana Asante Bediatuo said the decision by the EC boss is ludicrous. “You the chairperson If you say you will not vote then some one sitting at Kejetia will also say there is no need to vote too” he stressed.
Asked whether that decision not to vote is the best since she is the referee in the December 7th elections,the astute lawyer disagreed.
“If she votes we will not know her vote that is why it does not make any sense.We have to do a cost benefit analysis.The cost of her not voting sends the signal that its ok not to vote which I think its not good because we need to encourage people to vote.The benefit of her voting is that she is setting an example that any qualified citizen must vote”he added.
Source: GhanaWeb
