The Chamber of Local Governance (CHALoG) has issued a one-week ultimatum to the Electoral Commission (EC), urging the body to expedite preparations and conduct the long-awaited district assembly and unit committee by-elections, warning of potential action should the deadline not be met.
This comes after the EC announced the indefinite postponement of all district assembly and unit committee by-elections. In a statement, the Commission informed the public that the scheduled by-elections have been put on hold, adding that new dates would be communicated later.
Speaking to Starr News, President of the Chamber of Local Governance, Dr. Richard Fiadumor, described the decision as an affront to decentralisation.
“The Electoral Commission is telling Ghanaians that they have postponed the elections indefinitely, forgetting that once a date was announced, people began campaigning and spending resources, knowing the election was scheduled for December 11. For me, this excuse from the Electoral Commission is unacceptable. It cannot be ‘indefinite,’ especially since they have already gone past the stipulated period within which this by-election should have been conducted.
“The Electoral Commission will not go scot-free on this matter. Within the next week, we expect the Commission to provide a definite date. Anything short of that, we will take the matter to court to compel them to conduct the election, as it is a constitutional requirement, and the Commission cannot arbitrarily decide whether to hold it or not.
This is a very reckless and irresponsible statement from a constitutional body. You cannot fix a date, have people prepare for the election, and then postpone it without providing a reasonable new date and justifiable reasons.” He added
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Benjamin Sackey
