The Electoral Commission has come to the defense of its Chairperson, Jean Adukwei Mensa, on publication of news items saying she has disrespected Parliament by dishonouring their invite.
The Commission has said “the Chairperson upholds the institution of Parliament and will therefore not disrespect it in any way having worked with Parliament for two decades prior to her appointment as Chairperson of the EC.”
Representatives of the Electoral Commission were sacked from Parliament last week when Mrs. Adukwei Mensa failed to show up for an invitation from the House.
READ ALSO: Mahama jabs Jean Mensa; says she is adamant unlike Nigeria’s INEC boss
Her deputy, Dr. Bossman Asare together with other Directors of the Commission were not given the chance to “brief the leadership of the House on the draft Cl on the registration of voters on Thursday 23rd February 2024.”
But in a release issued by the Commission Sunday, February 26, 2023, they said the Chairperson was indisposed at the time the invitation was received, making her delegate her deputy in her stead.
Below is the full statement from the Commission:
The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a news story to the effect that the EC Chairperson has shown disrespect to the Parliament by not honoring an invitation from Parliament.
For the attention of the General Public, the EC received a letter from Parliament on Wednesday
22nd February 2023 inviting the Commission to brief the leadership of the House on the draft Cl on the registration of voters on Thursday 23rd February 2024.
At the time the Chairperson had travelled to Nigeria at the invitation of ECOWAS/ECONEC for a peer exchange and election observation mission.
That notwithstanding, Dr Bossman Asare, Deputy Chair for Corporate Services, attended the meeting together with other Directors of the Commission.
Surprisingly the meeting was cancelled as the Minority side insisted on the presence of the EC Chairperson at the meeting.
We wish to state that contrary to the news item that the EC Chair has returned to Ghana, the
Chairperson is still in Nigeria. She has not returned to Ghana.
The Commission especially its Chairperson understands the importance of the institution of Parliament having worked with Parliament for two decades prior to her appointment as Chairperson of the EC.
The Chairperson upholds the institution of Parliament and will therefore not disrespect it
in any way.
The fact remains that the invitation from Parliament was sent a day before the meeting, at a time when the Chairperson was out of the jurisdiction.
Had she been aware of the request prior to her travel, she certainly would have prioritized the meeting and attended upon the Honorable House.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com
