A letter to John Dramani Mahama

Nigeria's INEC is never ever better than Ghana's Electoral Commission

Dear Mr. Mahama,

You need multiples of eggs to be thrown into your face for asserting that Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission is far better than Ghana’s Electoral Commission.

You went to Nigeria to heap praises on the leadership of the INEC while denigrating Ghana’s Electoral Commission.

You expressed reservations over the administration of elections in Ghana compared to that of Nigeria.

On your pre-election tour to Nigeria under the auspices of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), you were so impressed with the so-called faith that all the candidates and parties have in the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria that you used the occasion to vilify the Jean Mensa-led EC of Ghana.

You indicated that every political party in Nigeria has testified that INEC has acknowledged and taken their concerns into account.

Then your lamentations followed. You said that the same cannot be attributed to Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC). According to you, the EC that used to be amongst the top election administration organisations in the world has lost credibility. Let me quote you directly;

“I can’t say the same for my Electoral Commission (EC), which was once among the top election administration organizations in the world,”

You bemoaned what you called 'hostility' meted out by the “EC and her other Commissioners” to the NDC, saying you wish the EC could inspire the same level of confidence in all parties like the INEC.

“Regrettably, I am not hopeful this will happen when we have an EC that has blatantly spurned all efforts by the National Peace Council to host a meeting between the Commission and the two major political parties, the NDC and NPP,” you indicated.

Dear Mr. Mahama, the electoral body you were so happy telling us about, the INEC you claimed has become the envy of many in the sub-region, the icon you called on Jean Mensa to look up to, has turned out to be a perfect candidate for the worst electoral management body on the African continent.

The Nigerian elections have been so fraught with challenges and irregularities that even independent observers have deemed it impossible to be declared as free and fair.

If the INEC is that iconic, why is the whole world accusing it of supervising the worst elections in the recent history of Nigeria? Now compare the INEC and the EC for us to see!

Millions of Nigerians couldn’t vote in an election organized by the electoral body you claim to be superior to that of Ghana.

The INEC has been accused of deliberately disenfranchising voters and transferring votes meant for other candidates to APC.

Even the former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo has had the occasion to state that the elections have been rigged in favor of APC’s candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Voters, politicians, observers are complaining of irregularities and blatant abuse of power by the ruling party and INEC.

Did we witness this in the 2020 elections in Ghana? No! No Ghanaian was disenfranchised by the EC or any other bodies in the 2020 elections.

The 2020 elections in Ghana was described by observers and international bodies as the best in the country’s history.

Only you and your blindfolded followers complained and when you were asked to specify exactly what your complaints were about, you couldn’t tell us.

Ghana’s Electoral Commission is the best in the sub-region if not on the whole African continent. You are just a sore loser who never accepts defeat with grace and dignity.

The INEC has put you to shame. You can now see that Jean Mensa and her team have the most robust electoral system in place. Nigeria’s INEC pales into the shadows when compared to the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

Can you grant another interview and still tell us that the INEC is a better electoral system than that of Ghana’s Electoral Commission?

Your habitual antagonistic attitude towards the Electoral Commission is what has brought this level of disgrace to you. Please, gather the eggs in your face, put them in a frying pan and make an omelette out of it and eat it yourself!

You set out to disgrace Ghana’s Electoral Commission just because the person in charge is not your favorite, now look at what your INEC has done to you! You must apologize to the Electoral Commission of Ghana for trying to blemish their image.