Former president John Dramani Mahama has yet again taken another swipe at the Electoral Commission chaired by Jean Mensa accusing the electoral management body of not inspiring confidence.
Making reference to Nigeria’s elections slated for today, February 25, the former president said his preliminary engagements with the presidential hopefuls indicate they all have confidence in the Electoral Commissioner of that country but same cannot be said about Ghana’s Electoral Commission.
Making the claims on his Facebook page, Mr. Mahama who is leading an observer mission for Nigeria’s elections, wrote: “One thing that has struck me in my pre-election mission in Nigeria for the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) is the confidence all the candidates and parties have expressed in the Independent Electoral Commission. They all testify that INEC has listened and taken their concerns on board.”
He applauded the INEC’s openness and ability to bring all the candidates on board but said it is unfortunate that “I can’t say the same for my Electoral Commission (EC), which was once among the best election management agencies in the world.”
The former president is leading the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) to monitor the Nigeria elections.
“The hostility of the Chairperson of the EC and her other Commissioners to one political party is legendary,” he added.
Mr. Mahama further intimated that he wished Ghana’s EC “can inspire the same level of confidence in all its stakeholders.”
“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.”
Read Mahama’s full post below:
One thing that has struck me in my pre-election mission in Nigeria for the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) is the confidence all the candidates and parties have expressed in the Independent Electoral Commission.
They all testify that INEC has listened and taken their concerns on board.
Unfortunately, I can’t say same for my Electoral Commission (EC), which was once among the best election management agencies in the world.
The hostility of the Chairperson of the EC and her other Commissioners to one political party is legendary.
How I wish our own EC can inspire the same level of confidence in all its stakeholders.
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.
John Dramani Mahama
February 24, 2023
Abuja, Nigeria