Electoral Commission Impasse-Affront To Ghana’s Democracy

Before the 2016 general elections, opinion leaders, Peace talkers and Political parties relied on the Electoral Commission of Ghana to deliver. The world trusted the well known commission to deliver the elections credibly. Ghana’s election at the time was characterized by anxiety and doubts. Many called the President at the time, John Dramani Mahama who appointed the Commissioner names. Mrs. Charlotte Osei was not spared her crave for the position. Many, particularly some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) sarcastically insinuated her gender and attributed her position to sex-for-job. Feminist, across the world advocated that a woman is more capable in many regards than a man.

Elections were over and with batted breath; Ghanaians had to rely on the highest Person in the land to calm the tension. The Ghanaian media did clean job by making results from constituencies available. And with that, we knew which Party was winning and losing. It took International Peace Observers, the National Peace Council former Heads of State and many unforeseen hands to step in for results to be made certified by the Electoral Commissioner. The Elections had entered day three-A situation Ghanaians have not been familiar with. Unlike Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, results for the Presidential elections last for 48 hours maximum and Ghana moves on. Except on situations where anomalies occur in certain polling centers and the elections had to be postponed. The question here is; what was happening in the commissioner’s office and the whole commission? Had employees of the commission not done a clean job and hard work to collate the results to be delivered by the Commissioner? We waited and watched.

Today, we wake to hear petitions and counter petitions within the commission on issues of trust, corruption and authority. We hear accusations and counter accusations within our trusted independent body. We wake to hear allegations and counter allegations. In our Ghanaian setting, news don’t die. Even if they do, Ghanaians don’t forget. Thank God, Internet has taken over the world and has become global, so we are not going to forget the cacophonies the EC is ringing to the world about Ghana. This is insulting and marring the hard earned peaceful reputation Ghana has attained. In Ghana, we are recognized for the consistent peace before and after elections-Ballots are counted instead of dead bodies. Unlike other African countries which suffer from civil wars as a result of electoral malpractices.

The rocky structure laid in the EC by Dr. Afari Gyan is cheaply within few months bargained with corruption and incessant nagging. A situation many are worried and livid of; a situation denigrating and undermining the integrity of our beloved state. It was in the days of Dr. Afari Gyan Ghana rose to the peaceful height of elections and we all were anticipating Mrs. Charlotte Osei to rise above that enviable height.

The situation at the EC is a direct attack to our democracy and somebody should bow in shame instead of granting the media interviews and defending the undefended. The accusations and counter accusations, the rebuttals and throw backs are not funny. If it sounds so, the rest of us listening are not celebrating it. We are not enjoying it in any regard. We despise and condemn it with the outmost condemnation. We need a consensus and collective approach in arresting this conundrum.

We need NO political press conferences to address rivalry in the Electoral Commission. We need diplomats, state officials who haven’t soiled their hands with political colours; people with working conscience and people who understand the Ghana National Anthem and the Pledge. Ghana does not need mistrust in her electoral system now; not when many of the systems have failed to operate properly and celebrates mediocrity and value becoming synonymous to vice. This is absolutely not the time. Our major political parties should step aside and allow independent bodies to deliver. We still trust EOCO and CHRAJ. We trust the Attorney General’s office, we trust the National Peace Council. We need a call to order-Not a political call but a National call.

Wisdom Bonuedi
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