The former interior minister under the John Evans Atta Mills rule said Mr. Kufuor’s comments were hypocritical and could ignite armed electoral conflict before, during or after the 2012 elections.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News, the Zebilla lawmaker said: “I find the comments quite unfortunate because rather than appealing to the conscience of people to try to restrain them so we have peaceful elections, it looks like the comments rather have the effects of provoking people or asking people to take up arms against the EC and government of the day.”
He further mentioned that: “This is not the first time we are creating constituencies in an election year.”
Mr. Avoka stated that in the year 1992 and 2004, which were election years, there were 200 and 230 constituencies respectively.
He added that former President Kufuor’s comment was a very misguided statement “from someone who is a role model, someone who we respect so much and who should be appealing to Ghanaians to exercise restraint and have confidence in the EC.”
The majority leader also described those who were raising red herrings about the NDC stampeding the process as “not doing so in good faith and are being prejudiced.”
“I am surprised that my learned friend, the former AG under the Kufuor administration, Ayikwei Otoo who was an opinion leader, could superintend over the creation of the 30 new constituencies instead of raising the red flag.”
When asked whether the legal action initiated by the former AG at the Supreme Court on the new constituencies will stop Parliament from proceeding, Mr. Avoka stated: “Certainly not. It cannot stop Parliament from considering it. Unless we have an injunction from the Supreme Court saying Parliament as an independent constitutional body should not do its work, then we wouldn’t.”
source: Citifmonline
0 comments:
Post a Comment