An independent parliamentary candidate for Akatsi South in the Volta Region is accusing the Electoral Commission (EC) of clandestinely appointing a Returning Officer for the constituency without recourse to the law.
According to Evans Gadeto Dzikunu, the appointment of Joseph Fleagbo is illegal.
He has therefore petitioned the EC Chairperson Charlotte Osei to investigate circumstances surrounding the appointment without delay since the officer’s conduct in previous elections remains questionable.
Lawyer Dzikunu alleged that Mr. Fleagbo, the Returning Officer of Akatsi South, who has been ‘shortchanging’ other candidates to enable the NDC to sail through in the constituency where current Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho was once the MP for many years.
In the petition, he called on the EC to investigate the circumstances leading to the re-appointment of Mr. Fleagbo as the Returning Officer when he was not part of the three people selected by the Volta Regional EC after competitive interviews to supervise the December 7 general elections.
Lawyer Dzikunu attached a list of the names of all the people selected by the EC as Returning Officers plus their two deputies each for constituency to the petition, and Mr. Fleagbo’s name was not part of it.
He mentioned those lawfully selected by the EC regional office in Ho for Akatsi South as Lumortsey Michael Klu, the Returning Officer, as well as Mawuli Dzobo Gatogo and Abraham Yaw Kuwornu, the Deputy Returning Officers.
According to the lawyer, applicants with first degrees were considered, adding that the man the EC regional office clandestinely brought to head the place does not even qualify per C.I 94 which will regulate this year’s election.
“When was Mr. Fleagbo appointed the District Returning Officer for Akatsi South after the appointment of Lumortsey Michael Klu as the Returning Officer, as well as Mawuli Dzobo Gatogo and Abraham Yaw Kuwornu as the Deputy Returning Officers?” he quizzed.
The petitioner said the properly selected officers duly swore their oath before a judge, adding that when he raised the alarm that Mr. Fleagbo had not been sworn in, the EC officials quickly took him to a Magistrate in Akatsi to swear an oath as required by the law and demoted the duly selected and more qualified returning officer.
Mr. Dzikunu, in the petition, has questioned the legal basis for the appointment of four persons as Returning Officers in Akatsi South alone when all other constituencies in the region have three each.
“There are bigger municipal assemblies in Ho and Keta where there are only three Returning Officers so why is Akatsi having four?”
“What is the motive for bringing Mr. Fleagbo back to the Akatsi South District Electoral Office through the back door when his credibility has been seriously damaged in the eyes of the public?”
He said “is it not because of the ulterior motive or some vested interests by the powers that be which informed the purported appointment of Mr. Fleagbo as the Returning Officer despite the swearing in of three competent officers?”
He said because of his protests, Mr. Fleagbo tried to ‘play delay’ tactics when he sent his campaign team to present his bankers’ draft at the close of nominations in order to disqualify him, adding that his team was insistent and finally submitted the documents.
Lawyer Dzikunu said Mr. Fleagbo’s appointment should be immediately revoked to promote transparency and fairness.
“I wish to state here that the people of Akatsi South are fully prepared to resist any attempt to manipulate the electoral process in favour of one candidate or party.”
By William Yaw Owusu