The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mohammed Murtala has alleged that the Electoral Commissioner of Ghana, Jean Mensah is an active member of the ruling party, NPP.
The politician speaking on a panel on TV3 Newday on Monday, September 11, 2023, accused the EC boss of using her office to do the bidding of the ruling party and President Akufo-Addo.
Mohammed Murtala’s remarks come on the back of the EC’s move to allow voters’ registration only at the district offices of the Electoral Commission despite the outcry from political parties to desist from such a move as it will disenfranchise some eligible voters who can’t easily reach the EC’s district offices.
Murtala also added that when the NPP and other political parties, excluding the NDC, met IPAC, they strongly rejected the EC’s decision to allow voters’ registration at the commission’s district offices but have turned around to criticise the NDC’s stance on the same.
“In fact, when I listened to the interview of the gentleman, I said, these people you can’t trust them. Because as at that time, I told a friend that the NPP knew every single decision that was taken by Jean Mensah who is an active member of the NPP and she has never hidden her activeness within the NPP politics and she takes no decision except it’s a decision that is dictated by the Flagstaff House. So, what is your position now? Why did you agree with the other opposition parties that the registration be done only at the various polling stations and EC district offices and today, you turn around 360 degrees and you are saying that what EC is engaged in is perfect?" he said.
Background
The Electoral Commission of Ghana announced that it would commence a registration exercise for eligible Ghanaians who turned 18 years old after the 2020 registration exercise and other eligible voters who could not register on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, who made this disclosure at a press briefing in Accra, dubbed, ‘Let the Citizen Know’, on August 17, 2023, indicated that the registration exercise would end on Monday, October 2, 2023.
She added that the exercise would be held at all the 268 district offices of the EC across the country.
“The voter’s registration exercise will afford Ghanaians who have attained the age of 18 years, since the last registration of 2020 and others who are more than 18 years, but for various reasons couldn’t register during the 2020 registration exercise.
“The EC will embark on voter registration in all 268 district offices of the commission. The exercise will be held from September 12 to October 2,” she said.
However, five opposition political parties jointly filed an injunction to halt the ongoing limited voters' registration exercise.
The five political parties that have come together to file this injunction are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Progressive People's Party (PPP), Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC), and All People’s Congress (APC).
They describe the exercise by the Electoral Commission as an unlawful and unreasonable decision to restrict centres for the upcoming Limited Voter Registration exercise to their District Offices.
According to them, the EC’s decision to restrict the centres of voter registration to their district offices has the potential to deprive many eligible voters of their right to be registered as voters and to vote in public elections.
Jean Mensah is an active member of the NPP and takes decisions that are dictated by the Flagstaff House - Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.#TV3NewDaypic.twitter.com/RX2KSHq9Oy
In the writ by the parties, they stated “a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of articles 45(a) and 42 the constitution, the decision of the 2nd Defendant to undertake the 2023 limited/continues voter registration at the District offices of the 2nd Defendant instead of undertaking same on the basis of electoral areas will result in voter suppression particularly in rural constituencies of the country, and is thus unconstitutional as it violates the rights of the first-time voters to register and vote,” part of the writ stated.
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Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensah