Yesterday’s Special Voting Exercise is the subject of comment by the Ghanaian Times. According to the paper, confusion reigned at almost all the centres casting a long shadow of lack of effective preparation. It says, most people were denied the right to vote for their Parliamentary candidates and this resulted in unusually long queues.
The Times cautions that at a time when threats of violence are looming large on the national vote on Sunday, the Electoral Commission need not provide the ammunition for people to visit mayhem on peace-loving people. The paper believes the Electoral Commission has learnt a lesson from the anarchy of the special voting and would fashion out a plan that would not disenfranchise people.
The Chronicle writes on the Electoral Commission’s decision to allow only the right thumb to be used in Sunday’s elections. The paper says it is happy that the EC has seen dangers ahead and decided to reverse its earlier decision that any other finger could be used. The Chronicle says the EC should do everything possible to ensure that no political party or its followers have any cause to doubt the integrity of the elections.
The Daily Graphic encourages all contestants in the Presidential and Parliamentary race not to see the elections as a “do or die” affair on an occasion to trade insults and throw the country up in flames. To the people, the stakes are very high in Sunday’s election, as all the political parties have vowed to win power. The paper adds its voice to the plea by public-spirited Ghanaians that it does not make sense for the blood of even one Ghanaian to be shed just for the sake of attaining political power. The Graphic reiterates its call on Ghanaians to use the opportunity offered by the polls once again to show leadership in the democratization process on the continent.
The Daily Guide commends government for putting in place appropriate measures to support the country’s security. The paper says the role of the National Security apparatus during an election period cannot be over-emphasized. It says an election period of every country is a crucial moment that cannot be allowed to be toyed with by violent hungry people. The Daily Guide calls on Ghanaians to erase any misconception about the operations of the national security and cast their votes peacefully on Sunday.
Let’s each light a candle for Ghana is how the Ghanaian Observer captions its editorial. The paper says regardless of our individual and collective needs, Ghana needs a leader who will significantly give the country a name among other nations in the International Community. According to the paper, Sunday’s election is therefore not a case of the NPP, NDC, PNC or CPP, but the nation’s supreme interest.
