A Deputy Western North Research Officer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Gideon Afo, has challenged the eligibility of the Electoral Commission (EC) to disenfranchise some Ghanaian voters in the upcoming 2020 general elections.

According to him, the EC's attempt to deprive many Ghanaians the right to exercise their civil responsibilities, will be rejected by the NDC and a lot more others through any available legal means.

In a statement to register his displeasure towards the EC after releasing its latest arrangements towards the compilation of a new voters' register in the country, Gideon Afo said, the demands by the EC to produce NIA card, traveling passport or two witnesses as part of the requirements to sign up for the new voters' register, is a "subtle scheme" by the election management body to desenfranchise unsuspecting good citizens from partaking in the December polls.

"...I can vehemently conclude that this is a subtle scheme to disenfranchise a bonafide citizen like me and other reasonable unsuspecting good citizens alike", portions of Mr. Afo's statement read.

He said, he will together with all prospective voters who have been 'naild to the wall', legally fight the EC for what is due them, just so they will be able to exercise their constitutional mandate in this year's election.

"...I, together with all such prospective voters who find themselves in the same unseasonably handicapped position i find myself, will by all legal means within our powers fiercely resist this attempt to render us impotent and forever injuncted to exercise our Constitutional mandate to determine who governs us this 2020 elections", said Gideon Afo.

Read his full write-up below:

As it stands now, though I have registered for the NIA Ghana card, I have not been issued with it due to some inexplicable technical excuses emanating from the NIA itself irrespective of the countless number of times I made appeal to them that I have not received my card. I have been told to wait till "God knows when" when they establish offices for the NIA in the various Districts for subsequent verification before I can access my card. Should this fail, the next possible option per the Electoral Commission's new arrangement is to secure a traveling passport at all cost before I can participate in this so called "voodoo" new voter registration. In the event I don't secure my passport within the stipulated time before the voter registration takes place, it is incumbent upon me in the face of this global pandemic to produce two human beings to tell it in my face that I am a Ghanaian citizen with legal capacity before I can be registered by the EC to vote when the constitution has clearly delineated who a citizen of Ghana (who is eligible to vote) is when I already have a credible voter registration card to exercise that lawful mandate with equanimity?

I can vehemently conclude that this is a subtle scheme to disenfranchise a bonafide citizen like me and other reasonable unsuspecting good citizens alike. I, together with all such prospective voters who find themselves in the same unseasonably handicapped position i find myself, will by all legal means within our powers fiercely resist this attempt to render us impotent and forever injuncted to exercise our Constitutional mandate to determine who governs us this 2020 elections.

We are highly powered by the preamble of Ghana's constitution which stipulates that:

"IN THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD", we the people of Ghana,

IN EXERCISE of our natural and inalienable right( which includes the right to partake in a free and fair elections) to establish a framework of government which shall secure for ourselves and posterity the blessings of liberty, equality of opportunity and prosperity;

IN A SPIRIT of friendship & peace with all peoples of the world;
AND IN SOLEMN declarations and affirmation of our commitment to; Freedom, Justice, Probity, and Accountability;

The Principle that ALL POWERS OF GOVERNMENT spring from the SOVEREIGN WILL OF THE PEOPLE( including myself).

The Principle of Universal Adult Suffrage(which I stand counted);

The Rule of Law;

The protection and preservation of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, Unity and Stability for our Nation.

This is even further cemented by the first Article of this Supreme law of our jurisdiction which also states that:
1(1) The sovereignty of Ghana resides in the PEOPLE of Ghana in whose name and for whose welfare the powers of government are to be exercised in the manner and within the limits laid down in the constitution.

For the Records, the President, the EC and the NIA have all sworn on this constitution.

No Beauty Queen imported from Mongolia and no Boss man from any oasis can usurp this inalienable right from well meaning and law abiding citizens like myself.

Gideon Afo, an un-spectatored Ghanaian Citizen.