Court cases against EC could affect credibility of 2016 elections – Fmr EC Director

A former Director of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Kwame Damoah, has expressed worry over the continuous legal battles against the Commission, indicating it could affect the credibility of the December 7 elections.

Some disqualified presidential nominees have initiated legal action against the election regulatory body following their disqualification last Monday on various grounds The Progressive People’s Party in particular has sued the EC and filed an interlocutory application seeking to restrain the Commission from proceeding with balloting of positions for the four qualified presidential candidates.

Other political parties like the People’s National Convention, Great Consolidated Popular Party and the National Democratic Party have served notice of suing the Commission.

Speaking on the issue on 3FM’s Midday News Monday, Mr Damoah explained that the continuous legal action against the EC could affect the image of the commission in the lead to the December 7 general elections.

“It will affect the credibility of the elections because perception is as important as the reality, so if you are in the public office you have to make sure your image is really credible; don’t just take it that you have been given the authority so you can act anyhow and the public can just do whatever they like,” he told Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah. He said the “idea of go to court, go to court doesn’t help anybody, it rather goes to show that you are not in control”.

Mr Damoah also also called on the judiciary to expedite actions on all the cases that would be filed against the Electoral Commission, noting that would be the surest way to get these concerns resolved.

“Judges on the judiciary are all Ghanaians, they all share our concerns, so if the suits have been filed and I think they can speed up all the processes, get the panel to look at all these things and clear the matter for us to see our way clear” urged.