We Live in Dangerous Times – PPP
The National Secretary of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Mr Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, has said that the mentality to “win at all cost” manifested itself in many ways during the 2012 polls to the detriment of those who were interested in playing by the rules.
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He said civil society organisations, as well as the media, also contributed to the uneven playing field as they focused their attention on the two “major political parties” against the multi-party democratic principle enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
He said in a statement that the PPP was greatly disturbed by current development with regard to the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Mr Asamoah-Siaw said the PPP was worried because the current situation did not augur well for this country’s democracy and its socio-economic development, alleging that “there is ample evidence that the 2012 presidential and parliamentary election process and results compilation were fraught with vote buying, intimidation, manipulation of votes and abuse of incumbency. The process leading up to the elections was not free and fair,”
In his view, the charade of “peace fear” instilled in the public that a second round election would disturb the peace, etc, worked against the exercise of the full rights of democratic choice.
He said that disturbing phenomenon relegated to the background any deeper discussion on the major challenges confronting the country and the fundamental changes required to reverse the quagmire in which we find ourselves.
“The PPP is of the firm belief that all the above have contributed to the current impasse where any of the “major parties” exploits the gaps in our electoral system to subvert the sovereign will of the people of Ghana. The evidence is abundantly clear in this direction. Ghana is on a dangerous slope to reverting to a “One Party State,” the statement quoted Mr Asamoah-Siaw as saying.
The statement said the PPP, since its inception and during the 2012 general election, had demonstrated its independence and had presented itself as a credible and viable political alternative to the status quo. It is in that regard that the PPP calls on all progressive forces, including the media, civil society organisations, the clergy and individuals to support the PPP’s call for urgent electoral reforms to save this country from becoming a “One Party State.”
“We must fight the elected dictatorship, winner-takes-all elements in our 1992 Constitution. We must ensure that the Electoral Commission becomes fully strengthened and independent and gains real integrity by its actions, not “order making.”
“The NPP and the NDC have demonstrated a lack of commitment to ensuring credibility and integrity in our electoral system and have benefited from its weaknesses. The Electoral Commission has been weakened to its core and that presents a serious threat to the future sustainability of the multi-party democracy.”
“Civil Society Organisations and religious entities in particular must talk to the real actors in the field and learn the reality of our situation in order to understand the danger we face. Ghana has the real potential to slide backwards. Ghanaians must open their eyes and be wide awake to the injustices perpetuated in this election year. Peace goes hand in hand with justice. A stolen presidency cannot bring lasting stability into the future.”
“We call on well-meaning Ghanaians to join the PPP to rid this country of incompetence, impunity, injustice, economic decadence and self-inflicted illiteracy and poverty,” the statement concluded.