2020 Polls: If Nana loses, I can’t save him – EC Boss speaks out

Chairperson of Electoral Commission (EC) Mrs. Jean Mensa has affirmed her commitment to remain fair to all the presidential aspirant’s in the December polls.

She stated that under no circumstance would she rig the polls in favour of the government headed by President Akufo-Addo.

Her comments come on the back of constant claims and accusations by the opposition parties especially the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that she is at the beck and call of President Akufo-Akufo.

The NDC has also accused Mrs. Mensa of exhibiting unfair, authoritative and intolerant attitudes at Inter-Party Advisory Committee solely in a bid to twist processes and outcomes of the 2020 polls in favour of President Akufo-Addo.

Former President John Dramani Mahama for instance on June 25, this year accused the EC of carrying out a “diabolic agenda” to ensure that Ghanaians are excluded from voting in the interest of the ruling New Patriotic Party.

He made the remarks in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the compilation of the new voter’s register.

Beyond the NDC, the EC boss has also come under attack from civil society groups as well as political think tanks that have described her output at the Commission as “incompetent.”

But speaking at a workshop on election reporting organized by the Commission in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra yesterday, Mrs. Mensa said: “Let me be honest with you, even if the president is my father, there is nothing I can do to favour him if the citizenry rejects him at the polls.”

Mrs. Mensa further disclosed that she has met the President only twice after her appointment as the Chairperson of Commission on official assignments.

“I’ve met President Akufo-Addo only twice since my appointment and even that, it was official duties, so when people are talking like that, ignore them”.

Mrs. Mensa also used ethe occasion to flatly deny accusations that the Commission is in bed with the government.

She said the Commission has been transparent in the processes leading to the elections.

“If I were in bed with government, I am sure I would have had two children by now because it’s been two years. But I think transparency is key and that is why we try our best to open up everything and therefore even if the President was your father or your uncle, there is absolutely nothing you can do,” she said.

Mrs. Mensa however assured that because of the checks and systems at the Commission “it is practically impossible to interfere with the process for the purpose of securing the desired outcome.”