The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission is urging all Ghanaians to go out and vote on election day and not shirk their civic responsibilities.
Charlotte Osei said if the good people fail to vote, there is a likelihood that a bad politician will be elected and that will be a reflection of the choices of all Ghanaians.
“There is a saying that bad politicians are elected by good people who do not vote. So if you want good leaders then you have a duty to go out and vote and you a duty to go out and vote good people into office. The state of our nation is the reflection of the choices we as a people have made,” she said.
The EC boss disclosed this when she addressed congregants of the Madina Presbyterian Church, Saturday.
With clearly three months four weeks to the December 7 general election, there are many political activities taking place in the country.
The two largeest political parties namely the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have hit the ground running to clinch power.
The NDC on Sunday launched its 2016 campaign in an attempt to hand a second term victory to its Presidential Candidate and incumbent President, John Dramani Mahama.
Flagbearer of the NPP has also rounded up his tour of the Western Region promising to create a new region called “Western North Region” – a project government said it has been working on.
While sections of Ghanaians believe the president has done very little to warrant second term, others hold a contrary view.
Those who support President Mahama are convinced that given his infrastructural achievements within his first term, he would do more when given a second term. But others are rooting for Mr Akufo-Addo whom they think would be able to save the country from the economic quagmire Ghana finds itself.
Mrs Osei believes the performance or otherwise of a leader must be laid squarely at the door steps of the people because they voted in the leader.
According to her, as a people, Ghanaians “have a duty and process to follow or shun politicians who tell lies and who want to lead us into a situation of war.”
This must be done through the ballot and must be based on “conscience” and not according to personal interest, she intimated.
She said it is imperative Ghanaians respect eachothers decision in the upcoming election in order to keep the peace of the nation.
“If you go and vote for one person and the majority of Ghanaians vote for somebody else you also have the responsibility to accept and respect their choice and just pray for whoever has been elected because you alone do not have the mandate to decide who rules Ghana,” she said.
The decision to choose one particular leader over the other is a collective mandate she said, adding, Ghanaians must work together to ensure the right person is chosen.
She promised the Commission would do its best to conduct a free, fair and credible election, but their efforts must be complemented by the vigilance of Ghanaians.
“The future of Ghana lies in our hands. We are a part of this process,” she said.
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