The Director of Operations at the Centre for Constitutional Order (CENCOR), Rockson Konde, has launched a scathing critique of the Electoral Commission (EC), accusing its leadership of overstepping their constitutional mandate and undermining Ghana’s democratic process.
Speaking on ABC In the Morning, Konde argued that certain actions of the EC, particularly regarding the declaration of parliamentary results, are fueling unnecessary chaos.
“You cannot act as though you are laws unto yourselves,” he said, referencing ongoing controversies surrounding the declaration of results in constituencies like Okaikwei Central, Tema Central, Techiman South, and Ablekuma North.
He emphasized that the EC Commissioners have no authority to unilaterally declare or correct parliamentary results without recourse to the proper legal channels.
“If something is wrong with a declaration, it’s not for you to decide corrections arbitrarily. That’s the role of the courts,” Konde stated, citing alleged illegal declarations in areas like the Gpandai Constituency as examples of the EC’s overreach.
CENCOR Threatens Petition for Commissioner Removal
Konde did not mince words, warning that if no action is taken to address what he described as “lawlessness” within the EC, CENCOR would petition the President to remove the current Commissioners.
“EC does not belong to them. Commissioners come and go, but the institution remains. If nobody petitions the President, we will. Ghana cannot afford the chaos these Commissioners are planting,” he declared.
High Court Ruling Looms Over EC’s Role
Konde’s remarks come as the Accra High Court prepares to rule on January 4, 2025, on whether the EC should complete the collation of parliamentary results in key disputed constituencies.
This case, brought by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), seeks a mandamus compelling the EC to fulfill its constitutional duty. The EC has admitted to incomplete collation in some constituencies, a stance supported by the NPP. Conversely, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has argued that the results have already been declared, and any disputes should be resolved through petitions rather than mandamus applications.
A Call for Accountability
Konde’s criticism of the EC underscores growing tensions as Ghana approaches the swearing-in of the President-elect and the 9th Parliament.
He warned that failing to hold the EC accountable risks plunging the country into a constitutional crisis.
“If this lawlessness continues, we all stand to lose,” he said.
“The EC must be sanitized for the sake of Ghana’s democracy.”
