Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has criticised the hasty organisation of a rerun election in Kpandai while a legal process is still underway. Dr. Bawumia argued that such actions could undermine democratic institutions and jeopardise the nation’s peace and unity. He urged the government to allow democracy to thrive and cease using state institutions to unfairly target political opponents.
Speaking on developments in Parliament and the scheduling of an election rerun in Kpandai, Dr. Bawumia said the decision is being taken in haste, which does not augur well for democracy.
Referencing the precedents of Dan Abodakpi and Gyakye Quayson, where Parliament deferred to the courts, Dr. Bawumia asked why the Kpandai election matter concerning MP Mathieu Nyindam was not being handled with the same deference to the judicial process.
“To say the least, I’m very, very disappointed in what is going on in our country. It looks like our institutions of democracy and our tenets of democracy are being undermined. Mathew Nyindam should be given his day in court. He has filed appeal processes at the High Court, he has filed for a judicial review at the Supreme Court, and none of those cases has been adjudicated. So why the rush? Why the indecent haste?” he asked. “I think that this undermines our institutions of democracy. I think that we should take a halt to these processes and allow him to have his day in court, just as others have done in the past. Democracy is something precious that we’ve all had and we’ve all subscribed to. When you start undermining its pillars, you break it down, and the consequences for the nation are very severe.” Dr. Bawumia noted.
Dr. Bawumia demanded that the current proceedings be suspended to permit the courts to fully rule on the matter, underscoring the necessity of applying democratic principles uniformly in every case.
“The House has never really rushed in this way when it came to the other cases. What is the difference with the case of Mathew Nyindam? I think it should not be this case. I think we should uphold the tenets of democracy.”
Dr. Bawumia expressed his strong backing for the minority party’s parliamentary work, specifically acknowledging their role in protecting democratic principles during the Kpandai election dispute.
“I stand with the principles that are espoused by the minority in Parliament, and they’re doing a job at it. And we want to support all the principles that they are fighting over in this particular case.
