Ghanaian businessman and politician Akwasi Addae Odike has launched strong accusations against Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Jean Mensa, alleging that she has consistently acted with bias and hostility toward smaller political parties.
Speaking in an interview on Ezra TV during discussions on the petition calling for the removal of the EC Chair monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Odike claimed that under Jean Mensa’s leadership, smaller parties have been unfairly treated in the electoral process.
According to him, unlike the era of former EC Chair Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, when political parties were allowed to correct errors in their nomination documents, the current administration takes a far more punitive approach.
He alleged that Jean Mensa “refuses to allow corrections,” and instead takes the documents away and later holds a press conference announcing a disqualification. “If she has any shame, she should go home quietly,” he said.
Odike further claimed that some small political parties had been co-opted by the EC to support its positions during IPAC meetings, sidelining others who were not aligned with government. He added that a member of his own party who worked within the EC warned him ahead of time that there was “a strong hand” preventing him from successfully filing his nomination forms, a prediction he said eventually came true.
“They have hatred for some of the smaller parties that are not aligned with government,” Odike alleged. “If she can defend that I am telling lies, she should come out and defend herself.”
His comments form part of growing public scrutiny following multiple petitions submitted to President John Dramani Mahama seeking the removal of the EC Chair and her deputies. The petitions have since been forwarded to the Chief Justice for preliminary review.
