We have evidence that new EC nominee visits Akufo-Addo – NDC MP

The Member of Parliament for South Dayi has re-echoed the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) dissatisfaction with the Electoral Commissioner nominee.

Rockson Dafeamekpor Tuesday argued that Jean Adukwei Mensa is a known sympathizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and is therefore unfit to occupy the referee position in election matters for the country.

Speaking on the AM Show on the Joy News channel on Multi TV, Mr. Dafeamekpor said his party has evidence to prove that Jean Mensa and President Nana Akufo-Addo have a personal relationship.

This the NDC MP argues has the potential to undermine the head of the Institute of Economic Affairs’ (IEA) role at the elections governing body.

“We have evidence to suggest that she visits the president often. Why would she visit the President, are they acquaintances…so we are saying that if she occupies this position she would not be neutral and she would not be apolitical,” Mr. Dafeamekpor said.

Rockson Dafeamekpor

The NDC is also opposed to the nominee for the deputy position, Dr. Asare Bossman. He is currently head of Political Science Department of the University of Ghana.

Mr. Dafeamekpor says the analyst has made public statements that damn the NDC and favor the NPP; for which reason they [NDC] cannot trust his judgment as a referee.

“…we have overturned public statements attributable to him damming NDC and favouring the NPP,” he said.

However, President and Founder of policy think tank IMANI Africa has lauded Jean Mensa’s nomination; describing the NDC’s position as “perplexing”.

Franklin Cudjoe

Franklin Cudjoe says Jean Mensa’s role at IEA makes her fit for the job. “She understands exactly what should happen at the EC,” he told Daniel Dadzie on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM Tuesday.

However, scores of people have criticised president Akufo-Addo for not engaging in broad stakeholder consultation before nominating the new EC bosses.

This, private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu has described as “a slap in our faces”.

His comments come in reaction to Akufo-Addo’s call for broad stakeholder consultation in 2015 when the then President John Mahama was appointing Charlotte Osei to chair the EC.

Martin Kpebu

Mr Akufo-Addo and the NPP vehemently opposed Mrs Osei’s appointment because they argued that there should be much consultation due to the importance of the office.

The EC Chairmanship became vacant earlier this year after a judicial committee set up to investigate Charlotte Osei and her two deputies found them guilty of procurement breeches and recommended their removal in accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

Veteran journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako and another are however in court challenging her removal.