NDC will sack all EC officials when voted into power - NDC Deputy Youth Organiser

Western Regional Deputy Youth Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abizi Morkeh has opined that should the party win the 2020 general elections, all officials at the Electoral Commission (EC) would be sacked.

His comment follows the nomination of Jean Mensa and three others as commissioners by President Akufo-Addo after the removal of Charlotte Osei and her two deputies.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, on Monday 23 July 2018, named Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Mrs Jean Mensa, as the new Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana.

The newly-appointed deputies are a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Eric Asare Bossman; and Samuel Tettey, Director of Electoral services in charge of elections at the Electoral Commission.

Also Ms Adjoa Esuama Abrefa, a corporate legal practitioner, was selected as a member of the commission.

Members of the NDC criticized the decision of the President, accusing him of staffing the Commission with pro-NPP sympathisers.

They also questioned the timing of the appointment as this comes in the wake of several petitions filed in Court over the removal of former EC Chair Charlotte Osei and her deputies.

Speaking on a local-based FM, West End Radio monitored by GhanaWeb.com, Mr. Abizi decried that the party cannot work with Jean Mensa when she is approved.

The Deputy Youth Organiser who is seeking for re-election alleged that “Jean Mensa is an NPP member and she is coming to rig the elections for the NPP in 2020.”

"Mr. host, if we come to power in 2020, we will sack all EC officials from office because we can't work with them, they are NPP members", he charged.

In a sharp rebuttal, the Deputy Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ellembelle Constituency, Fred Addiah maintained Jean Mensa is not an NPP member and not even a sympathizer.

He emphasized that President Akufo-Addo appointed Jean Mensa based on her rich experience and competence and not by any affiliation.

The Deputy Organiser, expressing worry over criticisms by NDC officials over Jean’s appointment, even said if President Akufo-Addo appointed one of the NDC National Executives as EC boss, they would still oppose it.

"Mr. host the NDC has made up their mind that no matter what President Akufo-Addo will do, it will not be applauded by NDC. [And] if President Akufo-Addo even appointed Kofi Adams right now as the new EC boss, still they will kick against him and say Kofi Adams will favour Mrs. Konadu Rawlings' NDP party... they did it to Mr. Martin Amidu when he was appointed by President Akufo-Addo as the Special Prosecutor. We all know that Mr. Martin Amidu was an NDC member and still the NDC opposed him", he stressed.

He also added that elections are won at the polling stations assuring listeners that no EC official can rig the 2020 elections for any political party in Ghana.

"The NDC should stop the noise making and think about their 2016 defeat because elections are won at polling stations so whether Kofi Adams becomes EC boss, the NPP will win the 2020 general elections based on President Akufo-Addo's achievements", he said.