Pressure group, Youth For Accountable Governance – YoFAG has said that the conduct of the Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare by openly campaigning for YES in the upcoming Referendum on introducing Partisan politics in the district level elections “has given him away as a bias, compromised and unfaithful referee who cannot be trusted to return a roundly acceptable verdict talk less of a free, fair and credible referendum.”
According to YoFAG in a press statement copied Awake News, their attention “has been drawn to a video and online publications revealing how the deputy Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bossman Asare, is busily prancing the nooks and cranny of the country and openly canvassing for YES votes ahead of the December 17 referendum.”
“While we respect Dr Asare’s right to exercise his franchise in all public elections and/or referenda despite his privileged position, we are however scandalized by his open bias and obsession for a YES vote.” – the statement said
For YoFAG, “It is inconceivable how a referee in an election will throw all cautions to the dogs and engage in such reckless, reprehensible and unprofessional conduct” adding that “Dr Asare’s behaviour goes to confirm suspensions that the Jean Mensah-led EC is bent on skewing the referendum in favour of YES votes as a thank you package for those who gifted them the position.”
YoFAG noted that “It is an open secret that the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians including the National House of Chiefs have openly kicked against the introduction of partisan politics to our local governance system. It is also on record that while the National Democratic Congress, the Progressive Peoples Party and other progressive forces are advocating for a NO vote, the governing New Patriotic Party is unremittingly canvassing for a YES vote.”
They have since raised a red flag saying to Dr. Asare and his Boss, Jean Mensah cannot be trusted to deliver a credible election of the December 17 referendum citing the outcome of the of last year’s referendum on creation of six regions and “signals a harbinger of doom if Dr Asare is allowed to have something to do with the upcoming referendum.”
Read the full statement:
For Immediate Release
18/11/2019
PRESS STATEMENT BY YOUTH FOR ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE (YoFAG) ON THE UNPROFESSIONAL AND BIAS CONDUCT OF DEPUTY ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, DR BOSSMAN ASARE
The attention of YoFAG has been drawn to a video and online publications revealing how the deputy Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bossman Asare, is busily prancing the nooks and cranny of the country and openly canvassing for YES votes ahead of the December 17 referendum. While we respect Dr Asare’s right to exercise his franchise in all public elections and/or referenda despite his privileged position, we are however scandalized by his open bias and obsession for a YES vote.
It is inconceivable how a referee in an election will throw all cautions to the dogs and engage in such reckless, reprehensible and unprofessional conduct. Dr Asare’s behavior goes to confirm suspensions that the Jean Mensah-led EC is bent on skewing the referendum in favor of YES votes as a thank you package for those who gifted them the position.
The natural justice principle of nemo judex in causa sua (you cannot be a judge in your own cause) is so basic and fundamental that it is expected of persons who find themselves in judicial and quasi-judicial arbitral processes to uphold. For a person like a Deputy Electoral Commissioner to sidestep this basic tenet of fair play and join the bandwagon of YES vote advocates can only confirm an elaborate plot to taint the electoral process with pervasive fraud.
It is an open secret that the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians including the National House of Chiefs have openly kicked against the introduction of partisan politics to our local governance system. It is also on record that while the National Democratic Congress, the Progressive Peoples Party and other progressive forces are advocating for a NO vote, the governing New Patriotic Party is unremittingly canvassing for a YES vote.
Against the backdrop of this, it is clear that Dr Asare is in tune with the ruling Party’s position and will do anything possible as deputy Electoral Commissioner to ensure the NPP’s position prevail. His conduct has given him away as a bias, compromised and unfaithful referee who cannot be trusted to return a roundly acceptable verdict talk less of a free, fair and credible referendum. The outcome of a similar referendum early this year for the creation of six regions signals a harbinger of doom if Dr Asare is allowed to have something to do with the upcoming referendum.
In order to restore confidence in the processes leading to the referendum, the EC should, as a matter of urgency, disassociate itself from the conduct of Dr Asare and institute disciplinary actions against him. More importantly, Dr Asare should recuse himself from processes leading to the referendum, failure of which the EC must ask him to step aside.
If the EC and Dr Asare fail to grant our demands, YoFAG will use all legitimate means to cleanse the EC of filthy hands soiling it’s hitherto acclaimed credibility.
Signed – YoFAG Communications Directorate
Contact Persons
Amos Blessing Amorse – 0244745784
Elikem Kotoko -0244705778
Efo Senyo -0249155003
By: Efo Korsi Senyo / awakenewsroom.com