NDC reacts to dismissal of Charlotte Osei and two deputies (video)

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is shocked and sad that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has decided to terminate the appointment of the chairperson of the Electoral Commisison, Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa.

At a press conference at the NDC headquarters at Adabraka in Accra Thursday night, Mr Kofi Adams, the national organizer said: “We are here this evening and many will be wondering why we will not wait till tomorrow before speaking to you [the press] and lovers of democracy, and we tell you, this is a matter that you cannot sleep over.”

“This is a matter that we need to let everybody know, people who love Ghana, and those who care about the progress of this country, people who care about the democracy we have all sacrificed and worked for.”

“We learned with shock, and of course, sadness the decision of President Akufo-Addo to terminate or dismiss the chairperson of the Electoral Commission and the two deputies this evening."

“This has come after the bastardization of the many other institutions. We are all very much aware that the genesis of this process started with faceless persons who were willing or who didn’t want to disclose their identity.”

Related: Charlotte Osei and two EC deputies sacked

“As we speak today, many of us lovers of democracy do not know even these petitioners. We were told by the President that he was just a conveyor belt of petitions, and so any petition that comes before him, he will forward it but I will prove to you that, that is not the case. We are very much aware that there are other petitions, more than three months old petitions before His Excellency, against the Chief Justice of this country that has not also been forwarded like he did, if he claim he is a conveyor belt.”

Below is a video from the press conference

Mr Adams announced that the NDC together with other political parties will be meeting Friday to give more details on what they would be doing on the matter.

Demand

“We demand almost immediately that they must give us reasons for which they think that the chairperson of the Electoral Commission and the two deputies stand indicted and should be removed from office.

"It is very clear that this government that has so far failed..., lost the fight against corruption..., the attempt and the fear for which reason they have set out to remove an arbiter of our elections and the two deputies so as to allow them to continue their rigging machinery, Ghanaians will not allow that to happen, we will resist any attempt,” Mr Adams told the journalists at the party headquarters.

Mr. Adams also accused President Akufo-Addo's administration of embarking on needless transfer of workers at some state institutions including the Electoral Commission, which he said the NDC will employ legal means to resist.

“What they have done is to destroy our institutions, what we have built over the years but we will not allow them to extend their destruction to institutions like the Electoral Commission. This is an institution that we will religiously guide and protect,” he said.

Street protest against Charlotte Osei's removal Friday morning

Mr. Adams announced that, the NDC and followers from some opposition parties will hit the streets in Accra on Friday morning, “tomorrow [Friday], the anger of the people will be shown on the street.

“We will meet at Obra Spot to continue…and there, we will say other things that we have to say,” he added.

Dr Charles Wereko Brobbey who uses the name Eyetarzan Anokyenana on Facebook also posted the following.

Removal of EC Boss and her deputies self-inflicted – Gabby Otchere Darko

Commenting on the removal of Mrs Osei from office together with her two deputies, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko said the development was self-inflicted.

In a Facebook post, the founder of policy think tank Danquah Institute said: “Let it be stressed that the events that led to the removal of the EC chairperson and her two deputies had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the government, political parties or even civil society groups.

“It started (we must all recall because it was all in the media) with infighting at the very top of the Commission shortly after the Dec 2016 elections. All gloves were off. The EC Chairperson and her two deputies began throwing mud at each other - publicly! They accused each other of corruption and abuse of power. They were soon joined by staff members of the EC.

“It is what they said about each other, the evidence they provided against each other, and the decision by their respective supporters to compile all the pieces of evidence into separate petitions which their own loyalists filed that triggered the constitutional process which eventually led to their removal, after full hearings. The President had a simple perfunctory but important role to play and that role was strictly provided by the Constitution.

“First, he had no choice but to pass on the petitions to the Chief Justice once received. Secondly, he had no option, per the Constitution, but to act according to the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry once received. This is the truth and the whole truth according to the facts and the law.”

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh

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