Dismiss frivolous and baseless petition – Charlotte Osei

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Charlotte Osei has described a petition by some unidentified persons of the EC asking for her removal as “frivolous, baseless” and actuated by “malice and ill will”.

Some aggrieved staff of the commission on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in a petition to President Akufo-Addo called for the removal of Mrs. Osei because she lacks the managerial skills needed to lead the commission.

Also, they alleged that she “single-handedly” gave out contracts to the tune of $21,999,592 without going through tender contrary to the Public Procurement Act. They also claim that the EC Boss has spent over 4 million Ghana cedis on her residence.

The presidency has since acknowledged the receipt of the petition which was subsequently forwarded to the Chief Justice for the necessary actions to be taken.

But a statement signed by Mrs. Osei stated that all the allegations made against her are outright lies.

“The contents of the said ‘petition’ which has been widely circulated on social media and published by the mainstream media, are frivolous, baseless and are actuated by malice and ill will. These allegations are in my view, the product of an overactive evil imagination, and do not deserve any serious attention.

“I wish to state categorically that all the defamatory allegations are outright lies and without any merit whatsoever.”

She also indicated that her response to the allegations will be made public once she is invited by the President to respond to the allegations against her.

Below is the full statement

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ME ARE BOGUS

(Accra, 21/07/2017) My attention has been drawn to a litany of phoney allegations made against me by a certain Maxwell Opoku Agyemang in a supposed ‘petition’ on behalf of an unidentified person(s), asking for my removal from office.

The contents of the said ‘petition’ which has been widely circulated on social media and published by the mainstream media, are frivolous, baseless and are actuated by malice and ill will. These allegations are in my view, the product of an overactive evil imagination, and do not deserve any serious attention. I wish to state categorically that all the defamatory allegations are outright lies and without any merit whatsoever.

I understand from the media that the Presidency has received the alleged petition. I have my full responses ready for each and every allegation made in the so-called petition. However, in deference to His Excellency the President of the Republic, for whom I have the highest levels of respect, I would respectfully wait to be formally informed by the Presidency before I make my responses public.

I take the opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to the staff of the Electoral Commission, political leaders from the various political parties, and members of the general public for the overwhelming support shown to my family and I so far. I am absolutely certain that once again, history and the truth will vindicate the just.

The political motive hunting would not serve the greater purpose. The ‘motiveless malignity’ behind this Petition are self-seeking and faceless individuals with the sole motive of satisfying their purely personal vendetta against my person and protecting illegal financial interests.

Finally, the Electoral Commission is an independent governance institution, non- partisan and with full protections for its officials under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. I would wish that the political actors would respect the constitutional framework provided for the Commission and support in upholding the supreme interest of the Commission for the wider interest of our democracy.

Thank you.

Signed

Charlotte Osei (Mrs.)

Chairperson

Electoral Commission Ghana