The only thing which can threaten our hard-worn democracy is a deliberate and concerted political party project to consistently prosecute a war of attrition against managers of the electoral process.
The so-called media silence about the Electoral Commission (EC) as alleged by the garrulous National Democratic Congress (NDC) when really there is nothing to raise red flag over only seeks to incite journalists against the election management body.
Fortunately, however news judgment lies only on the bosom of journalists far away from the NDC headquarters or even the Ofosu Ampofo-run conference room where decisions are taken as to how to make Jean Mensa EC Chairperson unpopular.
Doubtlessly, Ghana has come far in its democratic journey. NDC is sulking because its darling lady, Charlotte Osei, was removed from office. Indeed, the processes which went into the ouster of Charlotte Osei and her replacement were in consonance with the tenets of the Constitution. Anything outside this could have, of course, been challenged in a court of competent jurisdiction in a country where there is no dearth of persons ready to test the law it would have been foolhardy to remove the Chairperson of an entity such as EC whimsically.
Perhaps being a John Mahama appointed lady so many things were expected of her in her first and last elections and subsequent ones which never came to pass anyway.
In this day and age, an EC chairperson is restricted in what they can do to advance the cause of a particular party. Charlotte Osei was arrogantly ready to do the bidding of a group but under the circumstances she could not meet the expectations of her pals. It was just impossible. “We saw it, we love it, we like it” – that infamous hubris-steeped remark said it all about a woman whose dislike for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was palpable.
We are not spokespersons for the EC but the double-standards being showcased by the NDC as in ‘criticise the EC or die in war’ rhetoric is irritating and should be ignored with contempt. Thankfully, Ghanaians are reading between the lines; they are no longer Ghanaians of the opaque ballot box days in local elections.
We have not forgotten about the special workshop organized by the EC for the NDC only in some distant forest outside Accra when Amadu Sulley held a critical position. We also have not forgotten how the NPP suffered consistent snubs at the hands of a Charlotte Osei-headed EC. At IPAC meetings they were treated like kids by the woman who had to be obeyed. We recall how Charlotte taunted the NPP and others who favoured the replacement of the voters’ register. Even Akua Donkor was treated as a leader of a political party and guided to say ‘no’ to a new register. NDC wanted it so and so was it.
Let the NDC give a breather from their persistent haranguing. Ghanaians love their country and would not go to war because Jean Mensa has reverted to the old Coat of Arms embossed on EC logo. Ghana would not go to war because Jean Mensa is working to ensure that the IT department is resourced to deliver state-of-the-art services and not subservient to any office outside the EC headquarters. Ghana would not go to war because Jean Mensa is not abusing the independence of the EC. Ghana would not go to war because Jean Mensa is not taking orders from any political party.
The NDC is only furthering a cause which is already known to Ghanaians. The leaked tape said it all. They should have tarried a while before commencing the project. It is too clear what it wants from the unproductive war of attrition against the EC.
A strong EC births a virile democracy and so Ghanaians who so much love their country would not sit down for this crucial department to be the target of disgruntled politicians on the other side of the aisle. Democracy would triumph; devilish NDC would fail!
<<Print>>