John Mahama
Former President John Mahama is rubbishing the Electoral Commission’s Eminent Advisory Committee that former President Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has hailed as the ‘wisest thing ever’.
He said once those eminent personalities have been put together by the EC they would not be independent in their dealings as far as the 2020 general election is concerned and virtually shredded the committee.
“The same voice of moral society that we count on when things are going bad is the same people they put on the Eminent Persons Advisory Council,” Mr. Mahama complained when he met the Christian Council in Accra on Tuesday.
Rawlings’ Take
At the inauguration of the committee by the EC recently, former President Rawlings who is the founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) — the party being led by Mr. Mahama into the 2020 presidential election — was invited and he did not hide his joy for the EC move.
In a short address, Mr. Rawlings had said it was because the commissioners at the EC are appointed by the government that was why their work had always been viewed with suspicion by those in opposition.
He then said, however, that the current EC headed by Jean Mensa was doing something different in order to clear that suspicion. He, therefore, urged the public to support the formation of Advisory Committee of Eminent Personalities.
“Actually, they (commissioners) are appointed by government so there is the tendency that people along the way in opposition would want to view them with suspicion and I think that is what must have happened to the last commission and that is why I am saying that I guess when they didn’t know what to do, the country didn’t know who to look up to any more, then this man (Peace Council Chairman Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante) came out and gave some sense of satisfaction to all of us,” he said.
“I hope this commission would not suffer the same fate and I think precisely because of that putting together this body is one of the wisest things that could have happened so we don’t end up blaming the commission for whatever decision it makes,” he added.
Mahama Tantrums
Former President does not appear to be enthusiastic about the development and subtly condemned those who have accepted to be part of the committee when he met the Christian Council.
“How could you be part of the Electoral Commission advising it and at the same time when issues arise that are emotive from the decision of the Electoral Commission (you) come back and (still) be the ones to resolve the issues? I think that it is better our Christian Council and eminent people sit aside and then when we have a problem then we come to them,” Mr. Mahama said.
By Nana Kwasi