NPP will bloat a new register should the EC open one – Koku Anyidoho

Deputy Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has said he strongly suspects that the opposition New Patriotic Party's (NPP) continues call for a new voters register to be prepared for the 2016 election, is to enable the party implement its diabolic plan of bloating that register.

According to him, he strongly opposes the opening of a new register since the current electoral roll is to a large extent satisfactory to be used in the next general elections.

The NPP at a Press conference yesterday addressed by its Vice Presidential Candidate Dr Mahamadu Bawumiah stated that the voters register must be replaced with a new one insisting that about 76,286 Togolese voters are on it hence must be scrapped.

They further argued that the register from 2008 to 2012 increased to 25% saying it does not make sense.

“An increase of the voters register by 25 percent between two elections is abnormally high, and there are also several instances of this. One cannot credibly explain for example how increases in the voters’ register of magnitudes exceeding 40 percent can take place. Where did the people come from?” NPP Vice-Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia questioned.

But speaking to Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.3 FM on Wednesday, Koku Anyidoho queried why the NPP has suddenly realized the voters register was laden with foreigners, when the party never raised such concerns when it went to court during the 2012 election petition hearing at the Supreme Court.

“The NPP never pointed to this claim of foreigners on our electoral roll and the fact that the register from 2008 to 2012 increased to 25% during the election petition. It appeared they rather had a problem with the EC as an institution and Dr Afari Gyan as a person”.

He added that the NPP’s call for a new voters register was rejected by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC ), and does not form part a roadmap document leading to electoral reforms which the NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong is fully aware and so wonders why the NPP are once again rehashing the call.