The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is exploring the possibility of resorting to electronic voting in its upcoming primaries to select parliamentary candidates for seats it already holds.
This is the suggestion that Asaaseradio.com is picking up from sources close to the governing party.
However, the proposal for preparations towards primaries leading up to the general election scheduled to take place in December would need the prior endorsement of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
E-voting is reportedly under consideration because of the impact of the novel coronavirus disease, which has led to restrictions on social and economic activity both in Ghana and around the world.
Rallies proscribed
If the NPP’s NEC were to approve the idea, delegates would vote remotely to choose prospective Members of Parliament for 65 out of the 169 constituencies that the party won in the last election.
It will be recalled that last month the NPP indefinitely suspended its primaries, which had been due for 25 April.
Since then, President Akufo-Addo has extended further – until 31 May – the current ban on large gatherings. This in effect proscribes most preparations towards the election, by the political parties as well as the Electoral Commission (EC).
None of the political parties has yet launched its manifesto to inform Ghanaians about its programme for government and to justify its selection by the majority of electors come December.
Tussle over register carries on
With time running out, the EC is yet to act on its resolution to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 elections.
Meanwhile, the incumbent Parliament has summoned the EC chair, Jean Mensa, to brief the House on the Commission’s plans for the 2020 general election when it resumes sitting next week.
The EC has committed itself to the promise of conducting its proposed nationwide voter re-registration without ever assembling more than 25 people – including its own officials – in one place. This will allow it to respect the government’s pandemic restrictions.
The National Democratic Congress, which opposes the idea of scrapping the existing voters’ register, compiled in 2012, has accused the NPP of conspiring with the EC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) to rig the election.
The coronavirus disease shows no sign of making the countdown to 7 December easier for either the EC or the competing political parties.
The first two confirmed cases in Ghana of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus were announced on 12 March. As of now, the country has recorded 6,808 cases, with 2,070 recoveries and 32 deaths.
Fred Dzakpata
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