The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has welcomed the sacking the EC Chair, Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, and has called for their prosecution.
In a statement, the pressure group said it considers the events leading to the investigation into the affairs of the EC “God-given” considering the Commissioner’s posturing before, during and immediately after the 2016 general elections.
“This notwithstanding, we commend the boldness to which the EC staff defied all odds and stood up against incompetent management at the electoral commission,” the statement added.
AFAG is however demanding that government makes public the full report of the Chief Justice’s investigation as a matter of transparency to “give confidence in the wisdom of the President’s decision to fire, and above all to establish the basis of the sack.
“Prosecute the EC Chair and the deputies if the allegations and counter allegations of corruption among them were established by the CJ’s committee,” the statement said.
Below is a copy of the full statement
Prosecute EC and Deputies
AFAG welcomes and congratulates the President for the bold decision of sacking Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputy commissioners implicated in the Chief Justice’s investigation. This move has been our long-standing call as a result of our position against corrupt public office holders.
Although the electoral commissioner’s posturing before, during and immediately after the elections were questionable, we consider the events leading to this investigation as God-given. This notwithstanding, we commend the boldness to which the EC staff defied all odds and stood up against incompetent management at the electoral commission.
Indeed, the accusation and counter-accusations among the commissioners showed that all wasn’t well with the commission regarding teamwork, decision making and financial management.
It is in this regard that AFAG welcomes the recommendation of the court’s committee and the decision to sack by the president. The rule of law has been upheld without considerations to who is before the judge.
This notwithstanding, AFAG demands from the government;
1. To make public the full report of the Chief Justice’s investigation as a matter of transparency, to give confidence in the wisdom of the President’s decision to fire, and above all to establish the basis of the sack.
2. Prosecute the EC Chair and the deputies if the allegations and counter allegations of corruption among them were established by the CJ’s committee.
If Indeed there is a basis to sack based on financial irregularities as we were made to know by the deputy EC commissioners, then we will want the courts to justify or otherwise make a declaration in this regard.
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Simply put we want all persons implicated in any act of corruption to face the law. This will serve as a deterrent to other public office holders. AFAG has taken the position that if “corrupt” public officials are merely fired for corruption, it serves no purpose to jail petty thieves.