Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei
It appears not only the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are putting in place “tactics” to secure the votes of the masses in the impending 2020 polls. The Prof. Botchwey committee tasked to ascertain the leading factors to the NDC’s defeat in the 2016 elections may be a start for the party as executives believe the findings from the report will be sufficient for restrategising to win the next polls.
The New Patriotic Party may however be looking beyond to find other ways of defending their seat in government for another term.
A publication in the alhajjnewspaper.com reveals that some leading members of the NPP are plotting manipulative strategies to skew the 2020 elections and hence extend their stay in power.
Disclosures from party insiders to the Newspaper indicate that party members having picked up traces of disappointment and discontent from the public as far as their stay in government is concerned, have decided as one sure way to push through their agenda, to eject the Electoral Commissioner; Charlotte Osei from her office prior to the elections. This, the sources reveal is per the recommendation of the 10-member committee constituted by the party to provide a road map for their victory in 2020.
For them, Charlotte Osei’s existence as EC Boss is a threat to the party’s win in the next polls as she is likely to repress every effort of theirs to rig the elections and push for the implementation of the Representation of the Peoples Act (ROPA).
“Winning 2020 elections will not be an easy task so we are feverently preparing for that, one of the ways to make our win easy in 2020 is to push for the implementation of ROPA. With that, the election results can easily be manipulated…..but rigging election itself is also not an easy task because some of the guys working at EC must be in support of it. And considering how the NPP vilified Charlotte and even attempted to use the courts to block her appointment, she may not support any move to implement ROPA when she is not convinced that the implementation will not compromise the election results”, one source is cited to have said.
“One of the ways to chase out Charlotte is to create an imaginary “crisis situation” at the EC by pitching her against some of her colleague Commissioners…..and I think we are making headway in that direction, as recent media reports suggest uneasy calm at EC…..we are hoping it will lead to her exit”, another is cited to have stated.
The Statesman Newspaper previously suggested in its reports that the EC Boss had disagreements with two of her deputies over her autocratic posturing as far as involving others in decision making is concerned, an allegation that was confirmed by some NPP members.
NPP MP for Akwapim South and Deputy Local Government Minister, Osei Bonsu Amoah for instance is said to have made claims that some officials at the commission suggested Mrs Osei unilaterally takes decisions for the workers and ensures that those decisions are enforced.
“Sometimes when you talk to the officials at the EC they tell you that all is not well. They tell us in private that the chair does not consult them when taking decisions. There are a whole lot of issues but the EC is an independent body and so you cannot just call them to ask them questions”, he said.
Majority leader and Head of the Special Budget Committee of the House, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu is also cited making statements to that effect.
“The general observation from the committee was that the commissioners are not on good terms. It cannot be good for the conduct of elections. For instance, when they appeared before us and we asked the whereabouts of the chairman, the deputy commissioner said: ‘My information is that she travelled outside’ without informing others. They don’t know that she is outside the country. The deputy commissioners didn’t know the whereabouts of the chairperson of the commission. That is why we are saying that we should find a way to resolve the differences amongst them because ultimately, it will impact on the conduct of elections…..” Osei Kyei Mensah said.
Sources, according to the publication by alhajjnewspaper.com say the NPP is pushing its agenda to ensure that Mrs. Charlotte Osei is rid of her office through the ‘allegations’ being levelled against her.
“If the accusation against her thickens and she is forced to resign, then we will have our way”, one source revealed to the newspaper.
