It was initially the re-branding of the Electoral Commission’s logo, then what the high court describes as the unlawful disqualification of presidential candidates and now the decision to challenge the court’s judgement on the flagbearer of the Progressive People\u2019s Party (PPP), Papa Kwesi Nduom\u2019s disqualification from the December 7 presidential polls.<\/p>\n
I am trying so hard to understand the decisions, the EC’s Chairperson, Charlotte Osei has taken since she took the helm of affairs months ago.<\/p>\n
When the Commission launched a new logo instead of implementing the recommendations made by the Supreme Court after the 2013 election petition, I consoled myself with the belief that the logo may be the start of reforms at the EC. While everyone criticized Mrs. Osei, I believed she would learn from the criticisms and secure the public’s faith in the EC. Regrettably, \u00a0that logo decision has been followed with one bad decision after the other.<\/p>\n
And while I believe, Charlotte Osei is working in tandem with other commissioners, I am convinced of her significant influence over the decisions of the Commission. \u00a0I’m worried by both the decisions and her\u00a0posture in recent times. \u00a0The elections are less than 40 days away and instead of seeking consensus, madam and her people are being intransigent.<\/p>\n
It is clear the disqualification of the 13 aspirants was needless. The constitution clearly outlines rules for the removal of political parties from the register. The Constitutional Instrument which was drafted by the EC also outlines the rules for the submission and correction of errors. Mrs. Osei did not abide by any of these rules and is now refusing to back down and focus on the important elections at hand. As former Attorney General, Martin Amidu succinctly posited in an article on\u00a0citifmonline.com<\/strong> on Monday, the EC Chair in the first place failed in her mandate to adequately educate the aspirants on the process of filling their nomination forms.<\/p>\n He argued that Charlotte Osei should be held accountable for the errors which led to the disqualification of 13 of the 17 aspirants.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of rushing to disqualify them [the aspirants] contrary to the due process of law (particularly the right to alter or amend as provided by law and natural justice) and gloating on her competence in the unlawful application of C.I. 94 she should have resigned for failing in her functions to educate the aspirants for the complex nomination electoral process and its purpose.\u00a0It is demonstrable failure and an indictment on the competence of the Commissioner that only 4 of her class of 17 political parties and independent aspiring presidential candidates were able to understand and complete the nomination forms without error and to submit them at her own appointed time of 29th and 30th September 2016,\u201d Amidu\u2019s statement added.<\/p>\n And I agree with Mr. Amidu. \u00a0The EC chairperson failed to apply even her own rules and for that alone, she should have backtracked from the ‘go-to-court’ tone by now. But the Commission\u00a0under her watch had the effrontery to issue a statement on Monday, indicating that it would seek a review of a High Court\u2019s decision quashing their disqualification of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom.<\/p>\n This may be her attempt to bring what the statement described as ‘finality’ to the situation. It would all be good if there were not other suits against the Commission. It also seems the\u00a0motivation for these decisions might be the need to be seen as competent but this is a distraction the Commission did and does not need. I hope Mrs. Osei knows that\u00a0Ghanaians will never forgive her if the elections do not go well.\u00a0Being EC Chair is not about being in the headlines for the wrong reasons. It is about ensuring a free and fair election as well as promoting peace and stability. I believe in women and I believe in her but I fear \u00a0Mrs. Charlotte Osei’s decisions and choices as we proceed will result in trouble. I hope I am wrong.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Marian Ansah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana , efeansah@yahoo.com
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