Not questioning EC's actions is dangerous for democracy – Lawyer Kwesi Prempeh

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Created on Wednesday, 12 December 2012 00:00

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Not questioning EC's actions is dangerous for democracy – Lawyer Kwesi Prempeh

11 December 2012

Constitutional lawyer, Dr. Kwesi Prempeh has warned that the nation threads upon a very dangerous path if it does not work to keep the Electoral Commission and its officials constitutionally accountable for their actions.

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In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, the former Director of Legal Policy and Governance at the CDD indicated that the objections being raised by a cross section of Ghanaians in the media on social media platform, was a dangerous precedent to be set for future generations.

The New Patriotic Party has indicated in numerous interviews that it will explore all the legal options available to it as it contests the results of the December 2012 elections.

According to the party, there was conspiracy between the President and some staff of the EC to manipulate the election figures.

The EC has since dismissed the allegations saying the NPP lacks the evidence to prove it.

Dr. Kwesi Prempeh however pointed out to Citi FM that with the sort of response coming from the general public through the social media platforms, the integrity of the Ghanaian legal and electoral process could be questioned in the future if the current perception around NPP’s challenge does not change.

“The idea that Nana Akufo-Addo is actually contesting this or plans or contemplates contesting this in court is being read as somewhat sinister or subversive and it casts my mind back to 2008, when a similar attempt to go the court was also painted as an attempt to create chaos… I think it is a dangerous argument.

He added: “In 2008, the person of the Chief justice was drawn into this. I think it’s very dangerous. We have a body that is created by law and subject to law. The Electoral Commission is not above the law. The Electoral Commissioner is not a tin god and we should be careful not to make these people look like they are above the law.

"These are regular public officials, there is now reason we should trust them any more than we do anybody else. We shouldn’t just assume that wouldn’t do their work but we shouldn’t also assume that whatever it is that they have done in the course of the election, is above board.”

Source: Philip Kofi Ashon