The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has said the government has so far prevented the Electoral Commission (EC) from being impartial in its dealings ahead of the December 07 elections.
According to the Speaker, the composition of the Commission, per facts available to Ghanaians, is tilted towards a particular political party, an issue which many Ghanaians raised concerns about but was ignored by the President.
He says certain comments from some members of the EC have also placed it in a position that makes it difficult for them to be fair.
In an exclusive interview with TV3’s Beatrice Adu, aired on TV3 Tuesday, September 10, 2024, he said the EC’s performance so far has not been impartial.
“So far the EC has been prevented from being seen as an impartial arbiter. You could see the background of some of the employees and the statements that they have made. It hasn’t placed them in the position that this is going to be an unbiased referee and that has affected the credibility of the Electoral Commission,” he said when asked if the EC has conducted itself well.
When asked, “do you mean the appointing body is preventing, as in the government, is preventing the EC from being a fair referee?” he responded “Exactly that.”
“Apart from that, you have heard, even from civil society, allegations of some untoward things happening at the Commission,” he added.
The Speaker also bemoaned certain comments from some members of the Commission which he says are deliberate attempt to pitch the EC against the political parties, saying such comments shouldn’t be coming from staff of the EC.
“Some of the directors have made clear statements about some of the political parties, you know, trying to pitch the Commission against those political parties and painting those political parties in such a way that they are the problem in the country and not any other person. That should not come from the mouth of somebody working in the Electoral Commission,” he added.
Mr. Bagbin also added that the composition of the EC and the comments being made by some of the members makes the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for instance feel the membership is not favourable to the party.
“And all calls to the powers that be, particularly government, to take action, because those were appointees by government, has fallen on deaf ears. So, when you say that the EC… And so a party like the National Democratic Congress feels strongly that the Electoral Commission, as currently composed, is unfavourable to the party,” said the Speaker.
[EXCLUSIVE] The Electoral Commission has been prevented from being seen as an impartial arbiter, and that has affected their credibility – Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/wc6Z6VesJe
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 11, 2024
