New EC Chair begs NDC
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has rendered an unqualified apology to the largest opposition party in the country, the NDC, for failing to invite them in a timely manner for an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held last month.
The NDC had boycotted the exercise claiming they had not been duly informed ahead of time of the scheduled meeting.
The invitation, according to the NDC, came in at 12:15pm, barely an hour to the commencement of the said meeting hence the decision to boycott the exercise.
The move was seen as a signal of deepening friction between the party and the chair of the commission, Jean Mensa, whose appointment they vehemently opposed.
The largest opposition party had vehemently resisted the appointment of the former IEA boss over claims of bias. While she was head of the Institute of Economic Affairs, the party refused to participate in several programmes organized by the group, most significant of them being the Presidential debate.
Some experts had warned the friction between the EC Chair and the NDC could lead to a potential dispute of election results if not properly handled.
In a sudden twist of events however, the Jean Mensa-led commission appears to be seeking reconciliation with the NDC.
In a letter to the party sighted by www.newswiregh.com, the commission apologized for the late invitation sent ahead of last month’s IPAC meeting.
“We offer our sincere apologies for the delay in dispatching the letter to your office which regrettably led to your absence from the IPAC meeting,” portions of the letter read.
The letter signed by Jean Mensa also said “…We look forward to a cordial relationship between the Electoral Commission and your party the NDC, and to working closely with you on the all-important process of democratic consolidation in our dear country.”
It’s unclear if this act by the commission will be met with a similar reconciliatory response from the NDC who have continuously maintained that Jean Mensa is bias and against the party.
Source: newswiregh.com
