National Organiser of the NPP, Sammi Awuku
The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, Sammi Awuku, has advised politicians to be mindful of their actions when they win political power.
According to Mr Awuku, politics and power should never change any person, saying “the people you meet on your way up, you’ll meet them on your way down. This is the lesson that goes for all of us”.
“Don’t become arrogant when you become Member of Parliament; continue doing the very thing you used to do with them when seeking power. Do not stop doing them. Be affable and don’t see people as lesser human beings. Politics and power shouldn’t change you because the people you meet on your way up are the same people you will meet on your way down,” he advised.
Mr Awuku gave the advice while contributing to a radio discussion on Joy FM last week.
NDC and old voters’ register
Commenting on the debate on a new voters’ register, he advised the opposition National Democratic Congress not to be “spiritually glued” to the current voters’ register, a situation which he says is the reason why the opposition party is always against the compilation of a new register.
“NDC seems spiritually attached to the current voters’ register … in time past anytime we have an enhancement to our voters’ system, it goes with a new register, thus, from 1992, 2004 and 2012 election…NPP, we’ve lost an election under voters’ register we compiled before or during our tenure; same as NDC have won before and lost before so this shouldn’t be a problem…Don’t be spiritually attached to something that is not sustainable,” he urged the opposition party.
Mr Awuku further cleared the air on EC’s decision not to use birth certificate as a proof of identity for the upcoming new register.
He explained that from all past Constitutional Instruments (CIs) used in governing elections in the country, birth certificate has never been used as a proof identity.
Peace
He stressed the need for peace and order in this year’s elections irrespective of which voters’ register is used, urging the NDC to allow the EC to exercise its mandate.
Mr Awuku added that there shouldn’t be a situation where political parties will be given an ammunition to challenge the voters’ result.
“Is it about NDC losing the general election and telling us that the register we used was faulty, the machine couldn’t work on the day of election or the NPP complains on the day of election that we couldn’t make it because the machines were faulty and the register was fraudulent?” he quizzed.
He added: “…whether limited voters’ registration or new registration, one fundamental point we need to notice is, the register we used in 2016 has significantly changed because we have had limited registration exercise in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and if we add 2020 limited registration to it, we’re still going to move on to the same old issues in the coming year. So, why don’t we change it now?
