The opposition People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) has angrily dismissed the postponement of the date for presidential and legislative elections.
In an open letter to the Chief Electoral Commissioner, the secretary-general of the PMDC, Ansu Lansana demands that the initial date of 28 July for the elections be reverted to.
He says his party is dismayed at “the manner” in which the electoral commission came by the new date, saying “rescheduling…the elections to 11th August 2007 is unrealistic considering that the country will be in the thick of torrential rains in August”.
The letter states that “consideration should be given to the hardship the electorate would encounter trekking and queuing up under rainstorms on polling day” and takes a dim view to a statement that the election results will not be known until twelve days after voting day, saying the country is too small for such an interval.
“Our party will not accept a twelve-day delay for final results to be announced…and views the postponement as an act of sacrificing the convenience of the electorate…to NEC’s administrative lapses and poor judgement.”
The electoral commission could not be reached for a response.
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