EC boss proven she's NDC's 'sweetheart' – AFAG

The Chair of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei, has proven she’s the “sweetheart” of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), thus, doing all she can to please her “paymasters”, pressure group Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has said.

In a statement issued Thursday February 18 to demand the resignation of the deputy boss of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, from the recently constituted 10-member steering committee that is meant to help the EC conduct the November polls, AFAG reiterated allegations by another pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), that the committee is packed with NDC members and sympathisers, who are bent on satisfying the NDC.

One of the members, Dr Karl Marx Arhin, recently resigned following protests from the LMVCA regarding his affiliation to the NDC. AFAG said the addition of Dr Arhin and other alleged NDC members and sympathisers, such as the deputy NCCE boss, betrays the EC Chair’s willingness to dance to the tune of the NDC.

Below is AFAG’s full statement:

DEPUTY NCCE BOSS ON EC’s COMMITTEE MUST RESIGN

With the inclusion of Dr. K.M Arhin and other members of the EC’s steering committee, who are either members or very sympathetic to the NDC, it is 100% suggestive that the Electoral Commissioner (EC) is NDC’s “sweetheart”.

Fellow countrymen, it is so obvious that the EC cannot carry the courage of her own convictions. The EC looks helpless. Not a single decision has been taken by the EC to suggest she is a unifier and understand the expectations of stakeholders with respect to her office and what to do.

AFAG is shocked to note that, the EC has turned down countless proposals for the inter-party advisory committee (IPAC) to meet. Though the decisions of IPAC may not be binding, it is clear that their role has been rendered redundant by the EC.

AFAG regards the attitude of the EC as one “positively made evil”. It appears she did not earn her appointment on merit. As a result, she is so desperate to satisfy her pay masters in what looks like “the deal must be executed”.

Fellow Ghanaians, an understanding of verbal cues points to the fact that the EC, simply put, appears arrogant and full of herself. She has become defensive to any other stakeholder apart from the NDC. This looks involuntary because she has “the deal to protect”. Be it as it may, we doubt if the EC means well for Ghana.

Fellow Ghanaians, the EC has made nonsense of what is incremental policy. The IPAC was not consulted before the EC “NDC’s sweetheart”, decided to pack the bogus steering committee with largely NDC members and sympathizers. If this committee was a genuine one, why couldn’t she inform and discuss with members of IPAC.

Indeed, the EC “NDC’s sweetheart” could have expanded the membership of IPAC with this so-called persons and given a different name to it with an expanded mandate. Perhaps, a mandate that can see to their unique advisory role for a successful election 2016.

We advise the EC to re-think her ways since she has become too predictable with her actions. A little reminder from the U.S institute of peace research work on post electoral violence in Africa, shows that electoral violence are due to systemic and unresolved grievances which culminate prior, during and after elections.

Resolution:

AFAG is challenging the deputy NCCE boss Samuel Asare Akuamoah to come out to deny being an NDC member, and having been present and spoken as a member of the NDC at an NDC function. We are set to expose him completely before his pending USA trip. Indeed we expect him to stay for the show down and speak for himself.

It is our position that the EC must consult IPAC to come to a reasonable position on this matter of enormous public interest.

Regardless, the EC must dissolve the highly unacceptable and bogus steering committee now!!!

God save Ghana

AFAG Leadership