EC says Minority Caucus did not serve prior notice of petition presentation

The Electoral Commission has explained that its failure to receive a petition on the 2020 Techiman South parliamentary poll by the Minority Caucus in Parliament, was occasioned by the failure of the petitioners to serve the EC prior notice.

The Commission, according to a statement it issued explaining the circumstances leading to its failure to receive the petition, said it later learnt that the Minority delivered a letter informing the Commission of its intended presentation at 10:08 on the morning of Tuesday. The letter however gave the start time of the presentation as 10:00am, “giving the Commission no notice to receive the Minority Caucus given that the Chairperson and her senior team were not in the office.”

Below is the full statement

RE: NOTICE OF PRESENTATION OF PETITION BY THE MINORITY CAUCUS OF PARLIAMENT

The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a statement by the Minority in Parliament, alleging a refusal of the Commission's Chairperson to receive a petition from the Minority Caucus in Parliament.

For the record, the Electoral Commission wishes to inform the General Public that it did not receive prior notice of the said presentation of the petition from the Minority Caucus.

Indeed, the Electoral Commission later learnt that the Minority in Parliament delivered the said letter informing the Electoral Commission of its intended presentation scheduled for today Tuesday the 22nd of December at 10:08 this morning. The letter gives the start time of the said presentation as 10:00am, giving the Commission no notice to receive the Minority Caucus given that the Chairperson and her senior team were not in the office.

It is important to state, the leadership of the Electoral Commission respects and holds dear Ghana's institutions of State, a key one being the Parliament of Ghana. As such, had the Electoral Commission been property notified of the said presentation, its leadership would have been present to receive the petition from the Minority in Parliament.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION