FACT-CHECK: Did Parliament in 2016 approve for legislative election to be conducted in November? 

Claim: In 2016 parliament approved that Ghana’s parliamentary election be conducted in November

Source: PNC General Secretary, Janet Nabilla

Verdict: FALSE

Researched by Gifty Tracy Aminu

The General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Janet Nabila has claimed Parliament in 2016 approved that the country’s parliamentary election be conducted in November.

This comes after the Electoral Commission (EC) recently met with the representatives of the various political parties under the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to revisit a proposal to change the voting date for the upcoming 2024 general elections from December 7 to sometime in November.

Speaking in an interview on Radio Gold, Janet Nabilla said: “No. One was even passed. The parliamentary one was passed to November, but it was the December one that they did not come into a conclusion. One was even accepted in Parliament; that the parliamentary, we should conduct it in November and the presidential in December…”

This fact-check report seeks to verify whether Parliament in 2016 amended the Constitution for parliamentary election to be conducted in November.

Fact-Check

To verify the claim, GhanaFact searched for the date the proposed amendment was debated in parliament and found that it was rejected on the second reading by secret balloting.

This is captured in the Parliamentary Hansard of July 21, 2016, with the then Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adzaho, announcing the results of the secret voting – Ayes–125 and Noes – 95.

“Hon Members, article 291, clause 3, requires that Parliament needs at least the votes of two thirds of all Members of Parliament to approve the Bill at the Second Reading Stage. And that two thirds is 184, because the two thirds of 274 is 183.333 recurring. Therefore, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is rejected at the Second Reading,” former Speaker Edward Doe Adzaho stated.

Subsequently, the Electoral Commission in a statement on July 22, 2016, accepted the outcome of the vote in parliament and confirmed December 7, 2016, as the day for the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

“The Commission has noted the conclusion of the vote in Parliament over the proposed constitutional Amendment Bill which was meant to establish the first Monday of November as the day for both presidential and parliamentary elections. Despite the demonstration of our preparedness to deliver a credible and world class elections on the proposed November 7 date, Parliament in its wisdom has decided not to pass the Amendment,” the statement partly said.

The rejection of the Constitutional (Amendment) bill was reported by several credible online news platforms including Citinewsroom, Daily Graphic and Myjoyonline.

Verdict

The claim is rated false.