The Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante says that the Electoral Commission (EC) appointees were not publicly introduced and analysed before being sworn in.
According to him, “We thought we could get an opportunity like what happened with Jean Mensa where the nomination was actually advertised and we were able to raise our concerns”.
“But this time all we heard was people being sworn in so there was not even an opportunity to put out the names”.
“I’m sure all these videos and posts on social media would’ve come out and maybe the council of state and all those individuals who are part of the process of making the appointment would’ve stepped back,” he said.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, he expressed his displeasure towards the President’s approach in appointing the new EC members and says that it goes contrary to their electoral integrity to preserve national democracy.
“I don’t think anybody will contest the assertion that electoral integrity in the sustenance of our democracy are all key components of our governance that we have to preserve, so if the President acts in ways that threaten that objective or something underlines the ability for the policy to have stability.
“I think as right thinking Ghanaians who are interested in securing that process and making it as clean as possible should be out there raising those concerns,” he indicated.
According to Dr. Asante, this approach by the President will not help either of the two strong parties, that is the NPP nor will the NDC or any other political party but it will rather threaten the stability of the state.
He added that, they will assume this was a mistake and therefore would give the President and the NPP another chance to rethink and make the right decisions.
“So I think for me the NPP should really rethink and step back, we will give them the benefit of the doubt that this is a mistake, they did not probably calculate the implications of what they were doing,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo on Monday, March 20, inducted three new members of the EC at the Jubilee House. They are Dr. Peter Appiahene, Salima Ahmed Tijani and Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng.
However, The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) is demanding the immediate resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani as members of the EC.
The two have been described by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as known affiliates of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
CODEO at a news conference on Wednesday said these appointments have the tendency to make the EC look partisan and affect its credibility in future elections.
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