Jean Mensa’s Removal: ‘An Incompetent Petition Alleging Incompetence’ – Kabilla Rubbishes Petition To Prez Mahama

James Kwabena Bomfeh has rubbished the petition by a citizen of Ghana to President John Dramani Mahama to remove the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Jean Mensa and two deputies.

The petition filed on January 27 wants Deputy EC Chairs, Samuel Tetteh and Dr. Bossman Eric Asare and EC member, Dr Peter Appiahene, together with the EC Chairperson out of office.

Petition

The grounds for the petition include a breach of fundamental human rights under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.

It also points to 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.

The petitioner from the Volta Region also alleged disenfranchisement of voters in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) areas during the 2020 parliamentary elections.

The petitioner strongly opined a violation of citizens’ rights under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.

“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”, parts of the petition said.

The petitioner also cited poor management of the 2020 elections with errors in the presidential election results and claims of overt partisanship by certain commissioners as another basis to remove the EC heads.

“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.”

Incompetent Petition

The former CPP General Secretary, James Kwabena Bomfeh, also called “Kabilla”, described the petition as a very incompetent one.

He explained that the grounds for which the petitioners seek removal of the commissioners are without basis.

“An incompetent petition alleging incompetence…I would be surprised if this incompetent petition alleging incompetence is entertained by any serious office”, he remarked during Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show.

He also replied those making comparison with the dismissal of Charlotte Osei as EC Chairperson in June 2018 on grounds of financial malfeasance.

Mr. Bomfeh noted that “the removal of Charlotte Osei and the others was initiated by Charlotte Osei, herself. She invited EOCO into the internal affairs of Electoral Commission”.

He added; “In fact, it is my considered opinion that the EOCO going to the Electoral Commission to do what they did, it was inappropriate because EOCO even went without going through the Attorney-General’s office but that is history.”

On SALL, Kabilla debunked the claims that voters in the community were disenfranchised during the 2020 elections.

“There was no constituency called SALL”, hence asked “how could anybody have prevented that constituency members to vote?”

 

Source: Ghmessenger.com