Former deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen has berated former president John Dramani Mahama for rating Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) above Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).
According to Nana Obiri Boahen, time has proven the former president wrong in his assertion and thus, he described Mr Mahama’s claims as “ridiculous and so childish”.
He noted that Mr Mahama’s problem with the EC has to do with the sacking of the former chairperson, Madam Charlotte Osei.
“On the very day Charlotte Osei was sacked as EC boss, he refused to have faith in the commission.”
“If it isn’t NDC that would direct our elections, he doesn’t have faith in it. He wants to say if it isn’t Charlotte Osei or Afari Gyan, then he considers all other persons to come from Satan”, he said in an interview on pro-NPP Wontumi Radio on Monday February 27, 2023.
Former President Mahama on the eve of Nigeria’s presidential elections held on Saturday, February 25, 2023, called out the EC led by Jean Adukwei Mensa for failing to inspire confidence.
According to him, the posture of the Electoral Commission unlike the INEC which has gained the confidence of Nigeria’s electoral stakeholders has rather been hostile towards his party, the National Democratic Congress.
“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,” Mr Mahama said.
Despite his wish, Mr Mahama said he shares no hope of the situation in Ghana getting any better.
“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,” the former president said.
