Yesterday’s Special Voting exercise offered Ghanaians an opportunity to put the December 7 preparedness of the Electoral Commission (EC) to the test. The result was an appalling ‘fail.’
Most security personnel were so incensed about their looming disenfranchisement that they resorted to open grumbling and threats to vote first before turning to their Election Day duties on December 7.
This resonated across the country and emitted disturbing signals. Indeed when matters get to this dimension, the relevant authorities must revise their notes so the glaring anomalies can be addressed, lest a crisis is triggered.
The main Election Day is almost here but it can only be conjectured what the repercussions would have been had yesterday been played out on December 7.
The essence of holding a Special Voting Day yesterday was overshadowed by the multitude of anomalies leading to hundreds of security personnel failing to vote.
For the first time in the history of elections in this country, there is a feverish eagerness among Ghanaians to vote.
This was evident in the body language of incensed security personnel from the various services.
Those in the colours and the Police have been very loud as they protested openly in some locations at what they described as being denied their civic responsibilities.
Ironically very young boys and girls, some of them appearing to be below the eligible voting age were seen seemingly mocking the agitated cops as they were cleared to vote.
Many who watched the unfolding scene asked what special roles these kids were going to play on Election Day. It turned out that some of them were party agents.
We have observed the stubbornness exhibited by the Chairman of the EC in the face of the complaints laid before her about glaring challenges and how these could compromise the quality of the polls. Those who complained sought to obviate yesterday’s developments; they have been vindicated.
So much state resources have been expended on Election 2016 and so for yesterday’s challenges to be encountered suggests inefficiency on the part of the EC.
Election matters, especially this year’s are very crucial and so otherwise avoidable blunders which can disenfranchise the people are an invitation to chaos.
Since security agents, especially the Police and military manage internal security on such occasions it would be foolhardy to have them suffer what happened yesterday.
We do not know how the EC is to going to manage it but it is clear that disenfranchising the security agents and really any Ghanaian would result in serious consequence bordering on national security.
Imagine security personnel insisting on voting before turning to their Election Day duties. The required security at the polling stations would be denied and the rest is anybody’s guess.
Every election should be an improvement on the previous ones but in the case of what we have on our hands, retrogression is what we have observed and it beats imagination.
This ‘we saw it, we like it’ attitude cannot augur well for successful elections. The last thing the EC should bring upon itself is a glaring inefficiency which can give room for suspicion of rigging.
The remaining days before the main electoral bout; the reason the special vote was held should be used to address the challenges which cropped up yesterday, lest the integrity of the exercise is compromised. Ghanaians are worried.
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