Private legal practitioner and human rights advocate, Mr. Morris Ampaw, has decided to position himself as a frontliner in a national campaign against the December 2020 general election which he has initiated.
Lawyer Ampaw, during an interview on Wontumi TV and Radio in Kumasi monitired by adwoaadubianews on Friday said “Indeed we are not safe and in our current situation, we all have to agree as a nation that the right to live is more important than the right to vote.”
He stressed as he sought to justify his strong opposition to any attempt to hold this year’s election, says he will go to Court if the Electoral commission decides to conduct the election.
According to him, the country still has a long way to go in dealing with the numerous challenges that the COVID-19 has imposed, especially, “with respect to the fears that we could have a worsening situation in terms of the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease due to the recklessness on the part of most Ghanaians.”
“We should not lose sight of the fact that the COVID-19 has affected every human activity on earth. Besides, the Electoral Commission is yet to put its acts together including, the compilation of a new voters register.” He explained.
Lawyer Ampah again expressed serious concerns about, “where the EC can get the money from to conduct a successful election this year.”
“The country just cannot afford to finance the election scheduled for this year given the current situation and this is an issue. I am challenging both the NPP and the NDC as well as the smaller political parties to come out if they have any contrary view to express”
He added that, “all the processes of voting involve human contact and considering the dynamics associated with the exercise, we would be doing a big disservice to ourselves if we decide to go ahead to organize the 2020 polls.”He cautioned.
He stated further, “I’m prepared to lead the crusade and I’m inviting like-minded Ghanaians, NCCE, civil society groups and the media to throw their weight behind me in an exercise which can guarantee Ghana a better and secured future.”
Lawyer Ampaw also challenged the various political parties to seriously consider the implications Election 2020 could have on the consolidation of the national unity and the overall safety of its people and quickly go to the round table to jaw-jaw.
“This is a matter crucial in deciding the way forward between now and the post COVID-19 period so no political party should sit on the fence..” He stated.
Lawyer Ampaw was however, emphatic that the suspension of the pending election will not lead to any “constitutional crisis situation.”
He explained that, “even though the election is guarded by constitutional provisions the fact still remains that the Supreme Court Judges are higher than the constitution and would not have their hands tied in taking a holistic decision on a matter which can either make or break the nation.”
According to him, “All that the Chief Justice has to do, is to immediately summon members of the Supreme Court for each of them to present an independent opinion on how best to handle the thorny issue of an “election suspension” for them to build consensus on that crucial matter to guard the nation against any pitfalls.”
On the tricky question of who should be mandated to run the affairs of state in such a situation since there is no precedent. Besides, there are strict guidelines backed by constitutional provisions with definite timelines attached to how and when a new President should take office.
But Lawyer Ampaw who tried to make a mince meat of an issue tied to national cohesion and likely to generate an enduring controversy, held the view that, “The current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, in whose era the election postponement may come about should naturally, continue to remain in office as the de-facto head of state under a state of emergency until such a time that the situation becomes conducive for the planning and execution of a successful election.”
Credit : Wontumionline
