Central Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwamena Duncan, has said that the Mills-led government - knowing defeat is staring at them in the 2012 elections because they have totally failed Ghanaians– are banking their hopes on the votes of prisoners to retain power.
President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday said his administration would back a recent ruling by the Supreme Court that prisoners had the right to vote during elections and assured the Electoral Commission of government’s willingness to support them to put in place the necessary machinery and structures to enable inmates to exercise their franchise.
Though the news has been welcomed by many, including the chairman of the opposition party, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey as a good cause, the NPP Central Regional Secretary thinks the President is being hypocritical because his interest in ensuring that prisoners vote stems only from the political benefits he stands to gain.
Kwamena Duncan said President Mills, in his view, had made calculations in his mind and is hoping that prison inmates would be more sympathetic to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He was contributing to discussions on Peace FM’s current affairs programme Kokrokoo Wednesday.
“It is only a government that is failing, a President that is groping in the dark that would want prisoners to vote only because that is an easier way to garner votes to stay in power", Mr Duncan added.
Kwamena was particularly incensed at the president’s decision since Mills, as an opposition leader in the past election, kicked vehemently against efforts by the Kufuor- government to enable Ghanaians living abroad to exercise their franchise.
He questioned whether prisoners were more Ghanaian than those living in the diaspora.
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