Mahama’s accusations of partisanship in election official appointments false – EC

Electoral Commission (EC) has refuted allegations made by former President John Mahama regarding the appointment of election officials, denying accusations of partisanship in its recruitment process of returning officers.

In a press statement, the EC emphasised that the selection of returning officers and their deputies was conducted openly, fairly, and transparently.

According to the EC, the vacancy announcement for these positions was published in the Daily Graphic on Monday, February 5, 2024, leading to a total of 20,561 applications.

An internal committee was subsequently formed to shortlist suitable candidates for interviews, with all successful applicants having a minimum of 8 years' experience as Temporal Election Officials with the Commission.

“The allegation by former President Mahama that Ministers and DCEs were asked 'to write the names of party apparatchiks and present them so that they would be appointed as the returning officers' IS NOT TRUE," the statement clarified.

“The Commission rejects this unfounded allegation coming from the former President," the EC emphasised.

The EC urged all stakeholders to exercise accuracy and responsibility in disseminating information during this election year.

The EC affirmed: “As a Commission, we reaffirm our commitment to conducting transparent, credible, and fair elections, upholding the highest standards of integrity."

The EC’s statement is in response to remarks made by Mr Mahama during an interview at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he accused the government of manipulating the Commission for partisan gain.

—classfmonline