Edem Agbana, the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, has reiterated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) position on the Electoral Commission (EC) led by Jean Mensa.
The lawmaker boldly asserted that the EC leadership is not fit for purpose and must be changed.
There have been growing concerns about the fairness of the Electoral Commission. The National Democratic Congress (NDC), in particular, has been vocal about its dissatisfaction with the Commission’s handling of the recent elections.
The EC top officials are made up of Jean Mensa (Chairperson), Samuel Tettey (Deputy Chairman for Operations), Dr Bossman Eric Asare (Deputy Chairman for Corporate Services), Adwoa Asuama Abrefa (Commissioner), Salima Ahmed Tijani, Dr Peter Appiahene, and Rev Akua Ofori Boateng.
Speaking on Channel One TV on July 5, Edem Agbana stated, “We have maintained our position that the current Electoral Commission, for us, is not fit for purpose. There must be some changes in it.
It is important for us to build the institution to be strong and truly independent, but the current composition we have will not allow us to describe this EC as truly independent,” he said.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has also echoed that the three top leaders of the Electoral Commission (EC) must all go.
According to Asiedu Nketia, the Electoral Commission’s handling of recent electoral matters, particularly the unresolved parliamentary election in Ablekuma North, shows an institutional failure.
Speaking on JOY NEWS, Asiedu Nketia stated, “There has to be a change… The three top leadership must all go. They have managed the commission so badly”.
“You cannot still be having an election that will go into a stalemate. There is no anticipation of any stalemate in our laws unless people don’t want to do their work well… It’s a clear case of negligence or inability to perform its functions,” he stated.
He added, “Six months on after the election, and we still don’t have an elected MP. That must tell you something is wrong”.
“This commission, as presently constituted, took over the reins of the Electoral Commission, and they have never done a satisfactory election… First was SALL. A whole constituency went unrepresented for four years. Now, Ablekuma North. And the Ayawaso West by-election? Everything has been messed up,” he added.
Asiedu Nketia further added, “Resetting the EC means bringing it back to an institution that is fit for purpose. The way it is existing now, it is not fit for purpose.”
“If in any serious country we want to maintain this type of Electoral Commission, then I don’t know what the country is about.”
