NDC Will Still Lose 2016 Even If The First Lady Or Ibrahim Mahama Is Made The EC Chair

The neutrality of Madam Charlotte Kesson Smith Osei has been on the front burner for a couple of days now following her nomination and subsequent appointment as the new Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) by President John Dramani Mahama.

Osei, Ghana's first female Electoral Commissioner in its political democratic history, who until her appointment was the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), replaces Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, who served in that capacity for over two decades.

But her appointment has generated a lot of controversy across the country, with some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) claiming her affiliation with the NDC puts her in a compromised position.

Some also say given the fact that there is a case pending at the Supreme Court (ruling set for next month) seeking interpretation on who must appoint the EC Chair, the president should have exercised patience.

The petition led by CitiFM’s Richard Skyy is occasioned by the seeming contradictions in the constitution on what to do or who to appoint chairpersons of some constitutional bodies.

Article 70 (2) says: ' The President shall, acting on the advice of the Council of State, appoint the Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and other members of the Electoral Commission .'

Article 91(3) of the same Constitution says, ' The Council of State may, upon request or on its own initiative, consider and make recommendations on any matter being considered or dealt with by the President, a Minister of State, Parliament or any other authority established by this constitution except that the President, Minister of State, Parliament or other authority shall not be required to act in accordance with any recommendation made by the Council of State under this clause .'

It is in light of this that some have described the president’s announcement of Charlotte Osei’s appointment as preemptive.

This raging debate reared up its head again this week when the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako paid a visit to Baare in the Upper East Region of Ghana on Republic Day.

The gathering had wanted to know from Mr. Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as 'Chairman Wontumi' if the appointment of the new EC could spell doom for the opposition party in the 2016 general elections.

In response, Chairman Wontumi empathically stated that even if President Mahama chooses to make his wife or his brother the new EC chair, the ruling National Democratic Congress would not avoid the inevitable blow of losing the elections to the NPP.

' Should President Mahama decide to make Lordina Mahama or Ibrahim Mahama the next EC boss, that move wouldn't save his party from losing the next election .

No one should be worried he has chosen Charlotte Osei to be the next boss of EC. We believe she would be firm when it comes to the 2016 elections and as you know, the NPP will scoop every good thing that the impending election is going to bring ', he said.

On Tuesday, 30 June 2015, President Mahama sworn in Charlotte Osei as the new boss of Ghana's EC.

All seven commissioners of the Commission alongside all chairpersons of the main political parties were present at the event which took place at the Flagstaff House.

Credit: Chris Joe Quaicoe