Nana Asante Bedietuo, counsel for Abu Ramadan, who filed a case against the Electoral Commission, has admitted that the injunction on the registration exercise would disrupt the activities of the Electoral Commission, which is on a strict timeline.
But he was quick to add that the EC should have arranged its affairs “in such a way that there is always some room to maneuver.”
The lawyer made these comments after winning the first round of a law suit in which Abu Ramadan, the National Youth Organizer of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), is seeking to stop the Electoral Commission from accepting the National Health Insurance cards to register prospective voters ahead of the 2016 general elections.
Mr Bedietuo described his client’s case as a “simple one” which seeks to prevent unqualified individuals as stipulated by the constitution to be registered to vote in Ghana’s elections.
Abu Ramadan’s counsel maintained that if the delay in undertaking the voter’s registration exercise is the price to pay for a clean register, “then it’s a price well paid.”
He said despite the order from the Supreme Court, it would have been unwise for the Electoral Commission (EC) to have gone ahead with the registration of new voters.
He also mentioned that there are reports of the non-availability of funds at the disposal of the Commission to carry out the registration exercise and the district assembly elections.
“…And so whatever be the case, it certainly wouldn’t be a good idea if they go ahead and do the exercise,” he said.
