Presidents shouldn’t appoint EC bosses – Brigitte Dzogbenuku

Brigitte Dzogbenuku, the flagbearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has recommended a new style that rids the President of the power to appoint the leadership of the Electoral Commission.

The PPP presidential candidate noted that the mistrust and lack of public confidence in the EC is because people have issues with the appointing authority.

To prevent this, Dzogbenuku believes there must be a shift in how the EC leadership are appointed.

Speaking when she called on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu at the Manhyia Palace, the PPP candidate said that the EC must be transparent with Ghanaians.

She said that efforts must be made to ensure that the public absolutely trust the election organizing body.

“Non-transparency of the EC is a fundamental thing we need to deal with especially with rumours that it is in bed with a political party. This should teach us that the constitution needs to be reviewed so that no EC [official] is appointed by any government in power. It should be a process that will be trusted by every Ghanaian.”

“Four years ago, it was an appointee of the NDC, and there were issues with trust. Now it is one of the NPP, and there are issues with trust. Maybe we should go with a parliamentary process where people are selected and vetted,” she added.

She, however, appealed to Ghanaians to trust the EC to organize free and fair elections.

“For the peace of this country, people must trust the EC. Let’s trust the process, go ahead with it, and believe that the best will come out of it. If it does not happen, we will learn from it.”

Otumfuo Osei Tutu praised Brigitte Dzogbenuku for daring to lead the PPP and highlighted the role of women in Ghana’s politics.