In his response to the Electoral Commission’s (EC) request for intervention, security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning asserted that President-elect John Dramani Mahama is not legally permitted to interfere with the recounting of some parliamentary election outcomes.
This follows EC Chairperson Jean Mensa’s press briefing in which she urged both President-elect Mahama and outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo to act immediately to guarantee the Commission has the security it needs to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.
Jean Mensa brought attention to the fact that EC employees have been working under a lot of strain, dealing with direct harassment and threats of violence.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, Professor Aning responded to this by questioning the demand for Mahama’s involvement and highlighting the fact that the president-elect lacks the legal authority to take action in this regard.
Prof. Aning went on to say that until the next administration takes office, the current president and those in charge of the state have the duty to take action.
He further emphasized that while dealing with such issues, the EC itself must adhere to established protocols.
“I worry when people suddenly must act as the president, he does not have the instrument of state power to do that. Apart from him moral authority to say, ‘look, do this or do that’ but nobody can comply. So I think yes the president-elect can speak but I think the individual still holding the instrument of power and those who are still before the midnight of the 6th of January are those who have to act. Also, there are procedures the EC itself must follow. This is not the first time recounting is being done, so what should they do?”.
Source: newsthemegh.com