EVEN before the dust settles on the suspension of Gertrude Esaaba Araba Torkornoo as Chief Justice, all eyes are on President John Mahama to take action on a fresh petition seeking the removal of the Electoral Commission (EC) chair and her two deputies.
A petition has been submitted to remove Jean Mensa, Samuel Tetteh, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, and Commission member Dr. Peter Appiahene from their positions.
Filed on January 27, 2025, by petitioner Daniel Ofosu-Appiah from the Volta Region, the petition accuses the officials of violating fundamental human rights as per Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.
The document outlines breaches such as incompetence, bias, and actions undermining public confidence, contravening Articles 23 and 296 of the constitution.
The petition particularly focuses on the exclusion of voters in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) areas during the 2020 parliamentary elections, which deprived these communities of fair representation in Parliament for four years.
The petitioner argues that the Electoral Commission’s discretionary decision in this regard was not based on transparent due process and demonstrates potential partisan bias, affecting the balance of power in Parliament.
Many have criticized this exclusion, including prominent figures like Frankin Cudjoe and Prof Kwaku Asare.
Moreover, concerns have been raised about the chairperson and her deputies’ competence, citing instances of error and lack of neutrality.
The petition emphasizes the importance of upholding democratic principles and the critical role of electoral officials in ensuring fair and transparent elections.
Overall, the petition emphasizes that the actions and inactions of the Electoral Commission leadership have eroded public trust and violated constitutional rights. It calls for the urgent removal of the officials to restore confidence in Ghana’s electoral process.