Former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mike Oquaye has called on the Peace Council to break its long silence on the disqualification of presidential candidates and other decisions the Electoral Commission is taking ahead of the polls.
Aside the disqualification of some 13 presidential candidates a few weeks ago, the Electoral Commission announced on Monday that it had filed an application at the Supreme Court to quash a High Court’s decision to allow Nduom correct errors on his presidential nomination forms that formed the basis for his disqualification.
Commenting on the EC’s decision on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Oquaye who was doubtful the brouhaha between the EC and the disqualified presidential candidates can be settled out of court, however appealed to the Peace Council to intervene.
“I am a very prayerful man like many other Ghanaians but you cannot just presume the peace of God when he has given us a head. Let there be justice and then peace will prevail. I pray upon the Peace Council to come out and speak before they [Peace Council] later come out to say let there be peace .”
Mr. Oquaye expressed concern over what he referred to as the Commission’s failure to heed to useful suggestions from key stakeholders ahead of the polls.
“This is an Electoral Commission which was warned sometime ago about the Local government election, they will not listen. This was an Electoral Commission who were told about the effects of National Health Insurance, they will not listen and allowed some people to make this a political football. As I speak now, there is an electoral calender issued by the Commission itself…”
“Ask yourself, are they following even their own regulation. What is happening? This is a very serious matter. This is a thing I will ask the Peace Council to speak to. “
He was also disappointed in the Commission’s refusal to give the disqualified candidates another opportunity to correct mistakes on their nomination forms but rather decided to resort to the court to seek redress.
“You remember very well some of these antecedents law states it will detect anything wrong, give the person an opportunity to correct it Was it given in this instance.
The rules of natural justice require that a hearing must be done. God himself gave Adam and Eve an opportunity to be heard. That is why God established the law of natural justice.
He heard their explanation but was there a chance given[to candidates]?No …It was not given so I am of the view that you give them an opportunity to be heard.”
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