Dr. Kwame Asah Asante, a lecturer in political science at the University of Ghana, has pleaded with President Nana Akufo Addo to revoke the appointment of a well-known official from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a Commissioner of the Election Commission.
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Dr. Peter Appiahene, Salima Ahmed Tijani, and Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng were sworn in as commission members on Monday by President Akufo-Addo.
Yet, images that claim Dr. Peter Appiahene is a patron of the NPP's TESCON branch, notably at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, have subsequently gone viral.
A number of people, notably the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, have expressed concern about the selection of Dr. Appiahene, who was once expected to become a regional minister.
Dr. Asa Asante said that the situation does not bode well for good faith in the EC to be a fair arbiter on Wednesday's Morning Starr on Starr FM.
The Electoral Commission is an organisation that is required to be a neutral adjudicator of electoral matters by law and by practise. Hence, if someone is politically exposed, he should not be present for that reason. In order for elections to be free and fair, the electoral body must always be neutral and create a neutral environment that allows all parties and political actors to act on that political sphere. Even if he or she is appointed, the appointing authority can reconsider and remove that person. So, any action taken by an appointing authority that threatens the EC's reputation is manifestly contrary to the job the EC has done.
Therefore, I think that with the information that is now coming out, Mr. President will take a second look at this appointment and withdraw the individual, he continued. Because it will cause the EC a great deal of problems right away. Political parties, especially the NDC, have raised a lot of issues with the commission throughout the years.
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