Mahama petitioned to remove EC Chair, 3 others from office over alleged ‘gross incompetence’

A resident of the Volta Region has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to remove the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Jean Mensa from office.

The petitioner also wants the two deputies, Samuel Tetteh and Dr Bossman Eric Asare as well as EC member, Dr Peter Appiahene out of office.

The petition filed on January 27, 2025 cites a breach of fundamental human rights under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.

It also makes a point about constitutional breaches such as incompetence, bias, actions and inactions that undermine public confidence in the impartiality and integrity of the Commission contrary to Articles 23 and 296 of the 1992 constitution.

According to the petitioner, the disenfranchisement of voters in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) areas during the 2020 parliamentary elections is a gross violation of citizens’ rights under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.

The petition claims the EC’s action by denying SALL residents a representation in Parliament is “an attempt to influence the balance of power in Parliament.”

“For over four years, the people of SALL were deprived of their constitutional right to parliamentary representation, leaving them without a voice in the legislative process. Also, at the time of this deliberate exclusion, the parliamentary composition was a hung parliament. The SALL area’s parliamentary vote was pivotal and could have potentially given the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a majority. By disenfranchising these voters, the EC acted in a manner that suggests partisan bias and an attempt to influence the balance of power in Parliament.”

The petition further described the EC’s handling of the 2020 elections as ‘poor’ citing issues of errors in presidential election results and claims of bias by the commissioners.

“The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, in concert with her deputies, has demonstrated gross incompetence in the performance of her duties. Announcing such a critical decision (Exhibit A) on the eve of an election suggests poor management and a failure to anticipate the impact of the Guan District’s creation on electoral arrangements.”

The petitioner also referenced past comments on social media by Dr. Bossman Asare and Dr. Peter Appiahene, accusing them of jeopardising the impartiality that the Commission should possess.

“Dr. Bossman Asare, made numerous social media comments on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter before his appointment, displaying overt bias against the opposition party. These statements have raised questions about his impartiality and suitability for the role.”

The petition called on President Mahama to act under Article 146 of the Constitution to restore public confidence in the electoral process while supporting it with detailed exhibits and evidence to substantiate the claims.

The Presidency is yet to comment on the matter.

Jean Mensa was appointed as the EC Chairperson on 23 July 2018, after her predecessor Charlotte Osei was removed from office.

She has superintended two major elections since her appointment.

This is not the first time Madam Mensa has been in such a position.

In August 2020, she survived a petition by the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) which was dismissed by former President Akufo-Addo.

The dismissal was on the back of the fact that although the EC boss did not declare her assets then prior to a CHRAJ report cited by ASEPA, she took remedial steps to do so when it was brought to her attention in the petition to investigate same.

In August 2022, the pressure group, Fix the Country Movement, also petitioned the former President against the Chair over the issues of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) in the Oti Region.

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