Kofi Adams Takes On Akufo-Addo Over New Appointments To EC Board

The Member of Parliament for the Buem constituency and also the former National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams has slammed president Nana Akufo-Addo for his newest addition to the members of the Electoral Commission’s Board with three appointments. President Akufo-Addo in line with Article 43 (1 and 2) of 1992 Constitution swore in three new members of the Electoral Commission governing board on Monday, March 20.

The three included Reverend Akua Ofori Boateng Salima, Ahmed Tijani, and Dr. Peter Appiahene. Mr. Adams said president Akufo-Addo is the only president in the history of Ghana to denigrate the office of Electoral Commission by appointing only party apparatchiks to the office. He claimed Dr. Peter Appiahene is an NPP activist. He said while previous presidents worked to protect and ensure the sanctity of the Office, Akufo-Addo has politicized it and flooded its corridors with NPP faithful. All the other former presidents have worked to ensure the sanctity of the Electoral Commission, but that is far from President Akufo-Addo.

Never has Electoral Commission been tainted through a partisan lens than has happened in this very current administration. Right from the processes leading to the removal of Charlotte Osei and her colleagues through to the appointment of Jean Mensa and others and additions made today. Mr. Adams further took a swipe at New Patriotic Party government accusing it of destroying the independence of the Electoral Commission.

The president and by extension, his government and his party have worked to destroy this independent institution that has been so much respected by all other former presidents we have had in this country. It is as though the president is not satisfied with the number of party apparatchiks at the presidency and wants to extend it to institutions that were so established by the constitution.