An Electoral Commission (EC) staff member, Joseph Blankson Adumadzie, has escalated internal concerns to the highest office by formally submitting a petition to President John Dramani Mahama.
The core of his demand is the immediate removal of EC Chairperson Jean Mensa and her two deputies, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare and Samuel Tettey. Adumadzie’s unprecedented move aims to address what he perceives as severe institutional failings under the current leadership, suggesting a critical breakdown in the operational integrity and public trust of the body mandated to oversee Ghana’s democratic processes.
The petition specifically targets the alleged misconduct of the three senior officials, arguing that their collective actions and decisions have fundamentally compromised the fairness and transparency of the nation’s polls.
Adumadzie claims that this alleged misconduct has critically undermined the credibility of Ghana’s electoral system, creating an environment where the public, political parties, and other stakeholders can no longer have full confidence in the EC’s processes or outcomes. Such a high-profile petition from an internal member carries significant weight, forcing the presidency to officially acknowledge and potentially initiate the constitutional procedure for investigating and determining the fitness of the EC’s top echelon.
This development places President Mahama in a delicate constitutional and political position, as the removal of an EC Chairperson and deputies is governed by specific, rigorous procedures akin to those for a Superior Court Justice. The grounds for removal are typically limited to stated misbehaviour, incompetence, or the inability to perform the functions of the office.
The petition, therefore, sets the stage for a potentially protracted legal and political battle over the leadership and independence of the EC, echoing previous instances in Ghana’s history where the tenure of the Commission’s leadership has been challenged. It now remains to be seen whether the President will trigger the necessary constitutional mechanisms to investigate the serious allegations brought forward by the EC staffer.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
