A Research Fellow at the Governance Unit of the Institue of Economic Affairs (IEA), Professor Ransford Gyampo has expressed his shock at the criticisms of Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Madam Charlotte Osei especially by former Attorney General, Martin Amidu over the Commission's disqualification of thirteen presidential hopefuls.
The EC on October 10, disqualified thirteen of the seventeen presidential aspirants from contesting the December 7 polls citing anomalies on their nomination forms which breached CI 94, the constitutional instrument guiding the conduct of the elections.
READ ALSO:Â EC okays NPP, NDC, CPP & JOY for Dec 7 polls; PPP, PNC, NDP, APC, GCPP, others disqualified
Not pleased with the decision, some of the affected flagbearers including Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People's Party (PPP); Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Hassan Ayariga of the All People's Congress (APC) and Dr Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention (PNC) filed suits at the Accra High Court to get back on the ballot.
These many suits against the EC have been viewed as a threat to the electoral timetable with many including Mr Amidu blaming Madam Osei for the disqualification of the thirteen people.
In one of his now synonymous letters to the media, he described the disqualification of the aspirants as a wanton abuse power from the EC Chairperson.
READ ALSO:Â Martin Amidu comes for Charlotte Osei over disqualification of 13 presidential candidates
According to him, the decision “does not conduce to her image as an impartial arbiter of elections"  and Madam Osei "should have resigned for failing in her functions to educate the aspirants for the complex nomination electoral process and its purpose".
But speaking on Asempa FM on Wednesday, Prof Gyampoh stated he was surprised by the attacks because Madam Osei and the EC had done nothing wrong by enforcing the rules governing elections in the country.
"Some of the political parties only pop up when there is elections" because we relaxed the laws and"I'm surprised Martin Amidu is condemning Charlotte Osei for implementing the electoral rules to the latter".
For him, the fact that former Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan  may have been relaxing the implementation of the political parties law does not mean it should it still remain so "we should be encouraging institutions to implement the rules. We're not in a lawless state so the rules must work".
Though the time is near, "I'm optimistic the Court will expedite action so that our electoral calendar will not be undermined".
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