PPP to present evidence against EC

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has commended the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Sophia Abena Akuffo for setting up a committee, tasked to investigate the corruption allegations against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and her two deputies.

The party says it is ready to present evidence against the EC to aid in investigations if given the opportunity to do so.

In July 2017, some staff of the EC petitioned President Nana Akufo-Addo to remove Mrs. Charlotte Osei as Chairperson of the Commission over alleged abuse of office, causing financial loss to the state and breaches of Ghana’s procurement laws.

The petition which was forwarded to the Chief Justice to establish a prima facie case in order to initiate impeachment proceedings against Mrs. Osei led to the empanelment of a five-member committee to probe the allegations of abuse of power and corruption at the EC.

In a statement signed by the National Secretary of the PPP, Murtala Mohammed the party is “confident that the committee appointed by the Chief Justice shall work with diligence and a sense of urgency in investigating all the complaints brought before it, to put to rest, the soiled image of the Commission, and the rot in which the EC Commissioners themselves have told us they now wallow in.”

The statement further applauds President Akufo-Addo for acting in accordance with the 1992 Constitution by allowing probe into the EC brouhaha.

“We thank the President for acting swiftly on what the Constitution allows in matters relating to such petitions and ensuring that it is applied without fear or favour,” the statement reads.

Read full statement below

PPP TO PRESENT EVIDENCE AT CHIEF JUSTICE COMMITTEE

The Progressive Peoples Party wishes to congratulate the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Sophia Abena Boafowaa Akuffo for setting up a five-member committee, to investigate the corruption allegations against the Electoral Commission Chairperson, and her two deputies, in accordance with article 146 (4)(5) of the 1992 Constitution.

We are confident that the committee appointed by the Chief Justice shall work with diligence and a sense of urgency in investigating all the complaints brought before it, to put to rest, the soiled image of the Commission, and the rot in which the EC Commissioners themselves have told us they now wallow in.

We are quite hopeful that the Committee will not ignore the public acknowledgement by Mrs Charlotte Osei, and her complicity in gross violations of our procurement laws and articles of her engagement.

The PPP shall support every effort to cleanse our public institutions of arrogance, abuse of power and complete disregard for public law and order.

We thank the President for acting swiftly on what the Constitution allows in matters relating to such petitions and ensuring that it is applied without fear or favour.

We wish to offer, if given the chance at this Committee, for our party, the Progressive Peoples Party to join this case and present evidence against the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

As a lawful party, our shared responsibility is to educate Ghanaians on why our democracy takes place in a framework of a Presidential representative democratic republic, with the President as both head of state and head of government, and with multi-party democracy as our accepted form of democracy.

We shall continue contributing constructively to the development and improvement of Ghana by defending the existence of legally approved political parties as the most effective way towards progress in our nation.

Signed,

Murtala Mohammed

National Secretary