Former president John Dramani Mahama has stated his awe at the confidence reposed in Nigeria’s Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) by various stakeholders ahead of the country’s national election on Saturday.
In a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, Mr Mahama who is currently in Nigeria as Head of the West African Elders Forum on an election observer mission, said the situation however is different in the case of Ghana.
According to the former president, the posture of the Electoral Commission led by Jean Adukwei Mensa has rather been hostile towards his National Democratic Congress.
“One thing that has struck me in my pre-election mission in Nigeria for the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) is the confidence all the candidates and parties have expressed in the Independent Electoral Commission.
“They all testify that INEC has listened and taken their concerns on board.
“Unfortunately, I can't say same for my Electoral Commission (EC), which was once among the best election management agencies in the world.
“The hostility of the Chairperson of the EC and her other Commissioners to one political party is legendary. How I wish our own EC can inspire the same level of confidence in all its stakeholders,” Mr Mahama said.
Despite his wish, Mr Mahama said he shares no hope of the stuation in Ghana getting any better.
“Regrettably, I am not hopeful this will happen when we have an EC that has blatantly spurned all efforts by the National Peace Council to host a meeting between the Commission and the two major political parties, the NDC and NPP,” the former president said.
Mr Mahama and his National Democratic Congress lost the 2020 presidential election in which President Akufo-Addo and his NPP won a second consecutive term.
The NDC subsequently failed with a legal suit that sought to challenge the election result as announced by the EC.
The NDC has since accused the EC of assuming a hostile posture towards the party.
Meanwhile, former President Mahama has officially announced his decision to contest in the 2024 presidential election.
He has since picked up nomination forms to contest for his party’s flagbearership which will be decided in a primary slated for May 13, 2023.
Meanwhile, catch the latest GhanaWeb TV Election Desk interview with Francis Addai-Nimoh, as he discusses his plans to become the NPP's flagbearer, below:
You can also watch this episode of People & Places here:
Former President Mahama is accusing Jean Mensa and the EC of being hostile towards the NDC