Why I Think Mahama Should Maintain Jean Mensa

A lot of people, especially from the NDC side, have started calling for the head of Jean Mensa, Ghana's Electoral Commissioner. They want the President-Elect to sack her immediately he assumes office.

However, unless he intends to repeat the sins for which Ghanaians kicked him out of power in 2016, unless he intends not to fulfill his 2024 campaign promises, unless he will choose not to learn from the mistakes of the Akuffo-Addo–Bawumia led NPP administration, and unless he has plans of misusing the second chance Ghanaians have given him, I think the President-Elect Mahama should ignore these calls and maintain Jean Mensa, the woman who has already overseen two major elections of the nation.

Wait ehn!! Before you chop off my head, hear me out first.

For the records, I strongly believe the posturing of the Jean Mensa led Electoral Commission before, during, and after the 2020 and 2024 elections wasn't the best. I dare say, in 2020, the Electoral Commission's shenanigans greatly aided the NPP to get the 137 seats they got in Parliament. Some people even believe that the NPP had lost the 2020 presidential election, but for the electoral commission's "help."

However, what really caused the NDC in 2020, especially when it comes to the parliamentary seats, was their lack of vigilance. The NDC got complacent at a point, lost focus, and shot themselves in the foot! When you're dealing with the NPP, more so, Akufo-Addo's led NPP, you can't sleep on the job until you hear the last whistle! The NDC toyed with 2020's votes collation process and they paid for it with another 4 years minority term in parliament!

Basically, three things won this year's election for the NDC – Ghanaians are tired, angry and disappointed in the abysmal performance of Akufo-Addo's NPP administration, the Bawumia-Napo brand simply wasn't sellable, and finally, the NDC's vigilance throughout the election until the results were declared.

Clearly, the NDC learned from those grave mistakes they made in 2020 and have carefully put in strategic measures to avoid a repeat. They gazed their eyes on the ball until they got it! Very impressive!

One of the things that worked for Mahama during their campaign was the Abuga Pele, Assibit and Victoria Hammah narratives. You see, prior to the 2016 election, the NPP did everything to showcase Mahama as a very corrupt leader. They branded their alternative, Akufo-Addo, as someone who won't tolerate any act of corruption. Yes, the corruption sagas under Mahama were simply unbelievable at the time, and the NPP made a big deal out of them. Of course, Ghanaians booted Mahama out and brought the "no-nonsense" Akufo-Addo in to fix the menace.

But did he? Did Akuffo-Addo deal with corruption? In fact, isn't the worst of the corruption cases under Mahama better than the least of the height of corruption witnessed under Akuffo-Addo? While the "corrupt" Mahama sacked and prosecuted some of his own appointees fingered in some corruption cases, the "incorrupt" Akufo-Addo defended his. Ounch!! Even the former Special Prosecutor, whom he [Akufo-Addo] appointed would later describe him as "The mother serpent of corruption"? Interesting, isn't it?

The NDC, therefore, took advantage of this feat, and carve a great message throughout their campaign, portraying Mahama as someone who can deal with the many horrific corruption sagas under the present government.

Ghanaians are hungry for accountability and justice, and the NDC sold them ORAL – Operation Recover All Loots. "Yes, our candidate has proven in the past that he's committed to fighting corruption by prosecuting his own appointees, give him the chance to deal with the rot the current NPP government has done to your public purse." Every fool would agree with them!! And, Ghanaians on the back of this narrative, massively brought back Ex-President Mahama at the polls on December 7. That's a testament to the power of good precedence!

That being explained, I believe instead of listening to the voices asking for Jean Mensa to be booted out of office, Mahama should rather deploy the same strategy that worked for him in the corruption narrative – the power of positive precedence.

We all know how Akufo-Addo used all the political tactics to get rid of Charlotte Osei who was appointed by the then President, Mahama. Yes, Mahama clearly has all the right and the backing of Akufo-Addo's negative precedence to show Jean Mensa the door. I wouldn't begrudge him if he does so, just as I believe many Ghanaians wouldn't.

Howbeit, it is time our political parties started injecting some sanity into our politics by setting good precedence that will eventually cripple their opponents and rally the support of the masses. I strongly believe President-Elect Mahama has what it takes, backed by a massive goodwill of Ghanaians, to once again set a new and better precedence, just as former President J.A Kufuor did with Dr Afari Gyan.

If there is any lesson this 2024 election has taught the political class, it is this: the modern Ghanaian voter is very sophisticated, intelligent, has a mind of his own to analyse and think, and cannot be manipulated, coerced, and taken for granted. Mahama and the NDC should take advantage of this new dynamism of the Ghanaian voter and maintain Jean Mensa. It may seem like an unwise decision to make and a suicide mission now, but it will eventually serve the NDC well. History has a voice, and electorates have eyes!

Just as the NDC perfectly used the Abuga Pele's case to hoist Mahama as a better fighter of corruption – a strategy that actually worked – they can as well maintain Jean Mensa and use that precedence someday to their advantage. However, if the NDC decide otherwise, they would have lost a fine opportunity to deepen Ghana's democracy and contribute to building a more robust electoral commission. They would have missed the chance to sow a seed that could grow into a sequoia, preserving them from the political machinations and gimmicks of their opponents someday.

If the NDC truly takes time to study the new breed of Ghanaian voters emerging, they will agree with me that maintaining Jean Mensa is not as much a threat to them winning the 2028 elections as their own bad governance in the next 4 years would. And in fact, choosing their own Electoral Commissioner won't be to their advantage in the next elections as much as fulfiling their promises to Ghanaians and remaining as vigilant during the 2028 polls as they did this year would.

Elections, indeed, are won at the polling stations. But prior to that win, the outcome is long determined by how well an incumbent party rules within their madated 4 years, and in Africa, how extra vigilant they are on the day of the elections. The 2016 and 2024 elections are proofs that, no "corrupt" electoral commissioner is that powerful to overturn the will of the people – if the people are tired of you, not even God can save you.

Focusing on the immediate gains, removing Jean Mensa seem the best thing to do – to please party footsoldiers and few stalwarts. However, maintaining her will not only be a win for our democracy, but it will showcase the NDC as a better alternative. Again, remember, the new breed of voters are intelligent, woke and are observing every move of the politicians.

Besides, sometimes, in the corridors of power and politics, the best way to bully your "enemy" is to give her the opposite of the obvious. If it's indeed true that Madam Jean was playing to Akuffo Addo's cards, then, I'm sure she's already expecting and is prepared for a sack. Why not rather pay her back by not giving her what she's already anticipating. Keep her – perhaps, change her deputies – and let her own shadows haunt her!

The task ahead of the President-Elect is so herculean and sacking Jean Mensa should definitely not be included in it. If Mahama and the NDC give Ghanaians a progressive and truthful governance within the next 4 years, I strongly believe Ghanaians would once again, benevolently reward them massively in 2028 and there's little to nothing Madam Jean and her team can do to manipulate the results in favour of the NPP. Even if she indeed has any power to influence the results of an election, if the NDC still deploys the superb vigilant strategies they used to win this year's election, Jean Mensa's plots would still not hold water.

The greatest legacy Mahama can leave for himself is to put the interests of Ghana over the parochial interests of the NDC at this crucial moment of our history, take the nation out of this abyss, reset it, and make it work again. He must stand his ground and instead of answering to the whims and caprices of few party cabals, answer the call of patriotism, integrity, and nation building. Ghanaians know the wreck Akufo-Addo and his cronies have done our nation – they know it wouldn't be easy to get the economy back to its feet anytime soon, and all they expect from you is honesty and fiscal discipline.

Finally, the greatest gift President Mahama can give the NDC at the end of his tenure will be to earn the trust of Ghanaians through the exceptional leadership he'll give them so that whosoever's hands he lifts and shows Ghanaians as his replacement for the 2028 elections will be trusted enough to continue the good works he would have begun.

Jean Mensa is the least of NDC's problems – she's only a problem if the NDC believes, instead of rescuing it, they're also coming to push the country deeper into the dark canyons of corruption, personal interests, lies and bad leadership.

Mahama and his NDC must be reminded that, instead of rejoicing about it, their decisive win in this year's election should rather be seen as a huge burden of political leadership and responsibility. If they choose to crush this great hope Ghanaians placed in them, they will revolt against their government with their thumbs, more damaging than they did, the NPP.

The NDC must put aside party interests and partner with the President-Elect to make this nation work again. Trust me, Ghanaians are ready to help them keep the Elephant in the bush for a long time.

Changing Jean Mensa won't automatically deliver power to the NDC, but good governance would. The NDC should know that the same way ordinary Ghanaians risked their lives to protect their votes and defend their will from any form of manipulations from the EC this year, they will repeat it even if Mahama appoints the most loyal comrade to be the new EC and they turn around to give Ghanaians a cracked leadership. Striving for an exceptional leadership will trump changing Jean Mensa any day!

Dear President-Elect Mahama, not everyone is lucky enough to get a second chance. The hope of the country is on you. Don't forget the ORAL you promised Ghanaians. And of course, as a matter of urgency, please, bring some sanity into our Judiciary immediately you assume the highest office – that, I support!

Remember, the "competent" Charlotte Osei you personally appointed couldn't save you from the wrath of Ghanaians in 2016 when they voted massively against you for your failed governance, and the "corrupt" Jean Mensa you never trusted couldn't rescue the NPP when Ghanaians got tired of their corruption, arrogance and lies. Selah!

There's a Hero in you; unleash it!