#FixTheCountry movement withdraws impeachment petition against EC Chair and deputies
Members of the #FixTheCountry movement have withdrawn the impeachment petition they filed against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa and her two deputies, asking that they should be removed from office.
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This is coming after two years that petitioners from the #FixTheCountry movement, numbering 46 filed the petition.
The reason behind the withdrawal, according to the group is that, there is no urgency and interest in pursuing the petition.
In a press statement issued on Friday, July 14, 2023, the petitioners said they have lost faith in the integrity of the process after a long wait for institutional action on the petition.
The petition was filed in January 2022, alleging that the three who lead the Electoral Commission had egregiously misconducted themselves by denying the citizens of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe the right to vote in the 2020 parliamentary election.
One of the leaders of the group, Oliver Barker-Vormawor in a radio interview with Accra based Citi FM on Friday afternoon said their petition has not been given the needed attention hence the withdrawal to draw the public's attention to it after two years.
He said the Chief Justice had deliberately delayed acting on the petition.
"It is clear to us that the constitution is being undermined in a way so we don't see the need to partake in a charade."
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He said it was an opportunity to organise differently.
Attached below is a full copy of the press statement
Press Release
Friday, July 14, 2023
Withdrawal of the SALL Petition for the Removal of the Chair and Deputies of the Electoral Commission
Yesterday, after nearly 2 years of waiting for institutional action on the impeachment petition brought against the Chairperson and Deputies of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, we the 46 petitioners formally notified the President and the Chief Justice of our intention to withdraw the petition.
As you may be aware, as far back as 10th January 2022, 46 petitioners convened by #FixTheCountry petitioned the President regarding the egregious misconduct of the Chairperson and Deputies of the Electoral Commission through which the citizens of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobu and Likpe were denied the right to vote in the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Since the petition was forwarded to the Chief Justice, we have witnessed contrived gestures that for us signal a clear intention to undermine or extinguish the constitutional mechanisms for accountability and judicious conduct.
The refusal to act on the petition was due to a deliberate and collaborationist decision by the then Chief Justice to hide behind contrived proceduralism in order allow room for the frivolous filibustering devices of Madam Jean Mensa.
We the petitioners, after 2 years of seeing various constitutional officers fail to live up to their constitutional responsibilities in this matter, have become convinced of a lack of interest or urgency in pursuing the justice of our plaint and have as such lost faith in the integrity of the process.
We feel compelled to exercise our democratic right to withdraw this petition, in order that the Constitution will no further be mocked by the indolence of actors who have been assigned the task of its protection. In reaching this decision, we have considered the best interest of our democracy, and taken further account of our refusal to lend ourselves to any process that will ultimately be used to whitewash clear evidence of egregious misconduct. In addition, we see no reason why we should participate in the persistence of what has so clearly become a charade.
Yours in the service of our democracy
The Petitioners
