Public interest advocate, Rodaline Imoru Ayarna, has called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to reconsider its decision to boycott the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun in 19 polling stations.
According to her, the implications could shift the balance of power in Ghana’s Parliament.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day on Thursday, July 10, Ayarna emphasised that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stands a chance of attaining a two-thirds majority in Parliament should it win the contested seat.
“Some of their members are saying that one seat won’t make much of a difference. But looking at the numbers in Parliament now, one seat will make a great deal of difference because the NDC is expecting that one seat to get a two-thirds majority,” she stated.
She described the decision to boycott the rerun as potentially damaging to the NPP’s political future, especially if the results are recorded in a manner that portrays weakness.
“It would be sad if we should go into it without them, and then let’s say that the voting becomes like 34,000 and then you go and get 200. It goes into our history books regardless of the fact that you boycotted,” she cautioned.
Ayarna compared the situation to the party’s 1992 parliamentary boycott which resulted in the widely referenced book “Stolen Verdict” written by the NPP and urged the party not to repeat what, to her, would be a regrettable mistake.
“In 1992, they wrote a stolen verdict and then, when they sat back and reflected, they realised they made mistakes and it was wrong. They should have gone.”
She stressed the importance of full democratic participation, calling on the NPP to prioritise its supporters and the national interest.
“Politics is a game, and it’s a game of numbers. So, why are you denying your constituents or your supporters of going to, you know, vote? That is not fair,” She said.
“So, it’s very important for them to go there to exercise their franchise, and their constituents would want to do the same.”
The Electoral Commission is set to rerun the parliamentary election in 19 polling stations in Ablekuma North constituency on Friday, July 11.
AS/AME
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