Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, project head for the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), has expressed his disagreement with the Minority MPs' desire for a bipartisan committee to properly evaluate the Electoral Commission's methods and procedures in the 2020 elections.
Five NDC members of parliament have submitted a private resolution calling for a full investigation into the 2020 general elections.
Mr. Aborampah Mensah argues that the Supreme Court has already addressed the Minority MPs' wishes in the motion during the 2020 election petition.
He said on Top Story on Tuesday that Parliament has no authority to probe the Electoral Commission, especially since the NDC lacks proof to back up its claims of rigged elections.
"We'll never be able to probe the Electoral Commission; I'm not sure where that mandate comes from." So, when I read the motion, I thought to myself, aren't these the same issues that were brought to court and dealt with by the Supreme Court?
"Are these not the same issues for which there was no proof to back them up?" So, what is the point of going through the same issue that the Supreme Court of the United States has already decided? … He told Evans Mensah, "I don't believe Parliament has the authority to probe the Electoral Commission."
He, on the other hand, believes that the bipartisan committee should suggest electoral changes to the Electoral Commission rather than investigating it.
"Perhaps if the Committee is established to look into some of these allegations and recommend reforms for that, I will understand," he added. "After all, even independent organizations and Civil Society Organizations like CODEO conducted post-election evaluations and made recommendations to the Electoral Commission."
Meanwhile, Buem MP Kofi Adams, one of the MPs who submitted the motion, noted that the purpose of the motion is to guarantee that the flaws and failures of the 2020 election are not replicated in any future national elections in Ghana.
He said that the Committee would also recommend improvements for the EC, emphasizing that just because the NDC as a party has already presented a paper to the EC proposing reforms does not preclude the House from looking into issues surrounding the 2020 elections.
"It will lead to reform." It does not, however, prevent a state entity such as Parliament, which is an arm of government, from engaging in such activities. The fact that the party has drafted a plan and presented it to the Electoral Commission does not preclude Parliament from proceeding with its own work," he added.
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