NDC still maintains gov’t behind attempts to remove EC chair

Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, George Lawson, maintains the party is firmed in the conviction that, government is behind ongoing attempts to remove the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei from office.

A frosty relationship between Mrs. Osei and her colleagues at the commission has become a subject of public debate following allegations of voter fraud, and insubordination. A petition is currently before the presidency by some unidentified senior staff of the commission asking for the chairperson to be removed from her office over various allegations, including procurement related abuse.

In her own response also leaked to the press, Mrs.  Osei also accused her Deputy Director of Operations Amadu Sulley of stashing an amount of Six Million Ghana Cedis he collected from political parties for the “organization of party primaries without recourse to the structures of the commission, and without involvement of the finance department of the commission.”

Mrs. Osei further accused Mr. Sulley of voter fraud by creating polling stations without the knowledge of the top hierarchy.

“It was confirmed that the Deputy Chairperson Operations had unilaterally and without the knowledge of the chairperson or the commission created 1000 additional polling stations for the district level elections of September 1, 2015.”

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu last week warned the party will resist attempts from government to remove the chairperson from office, an accusation which Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, described as “bogus” and without “basis.”

But speaking to Accra based JoyFm in Accra, Mr. Lawson, who said the revelations so far are not enough to warrant any probe, said their position that government is behind attempts to remove the EC chair has not changed.

He cited the petition sent to the president as his basis and questioned at what point did persons asking for the removal of a senior come in the name of anonymity.

“We have been vindicated in our position,” he said.

Mr. Lawson also said the exact details of what is happening is still unfolding so any call for probe is premature, insisting “It is not enough, what we have heard.”

In a related development, a   former Director of Elections at the Electoral Commission Albert Arhin says the ongoing rift between top management at the EC is disheartening and called for a probe into the chaos.  

Mr. Arhin, who is the National Coordinator of election monitoring body, Coalition of Domestic Observers (CODEO) told Accra based CitiFm the issue has now moved from a moral position to criminality, especially when voter fraud has been alleged.

“I feel so sad about what is going on there,” he said. “ The image” of the commission is badly bruised as a result of the allegation.

He said the “revelations” from the leadership is “very sad for our democracy and the integrity of the commission”

Mr. Arhin said serious works remain to be done and instead of the EC to be busy working around the clock to get the processes for the district assembly elections and others done, they are mudslinging each other.

The Peace Council is at the moment working behind the scenes to ensure the situation is resolved, but Mr. Arhin said the criminal aspect means the Council will have to review its own involvement because the scale of rot is not something that can be overlooked.

He said a probe will establish the authenticity of allegations made and those found culpable made to step aside and the necessary actions taken against them.