Minority's Petition: We Were Not ‘Properly’ Notified, Parliament Is Dear To Us – EC

The Electoral Commission (EC) says its office was not “properly” informed of the Minority in Parliament's desire to lay a petition before them over the December 7, election brouhaha.
 
The commission, in a statement said report indicating that they refused to meet with the minority as scheduled is ‘untrue’.
 
“The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a statement by the Minority in Parliament, alleging a refusal of the Commission’s Chairperson to receive a petition from the Minority Caucus in Parliament.”
 
“For the record, the Electoral Commission wishes to inform the General Public that it did not receive prior notice of the said presentation of the petition from the Minority Caucus,” the statement said.
 
Minority MPs petitions EC
 
The Minority in Parliament on Tuesday broke police barricade at the Ridge Roundabout to submit a petition to the Electoral Commissioner Chair, Jean Mensa.
 
The aggrieved legislators were involved in a scuffle with the police as they walked from Parliament House to the Electoral Commission head office.
 
Led by the Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, and the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, the MPs were protesting what they say is a fictitious election result from the December election.
 
According to them, the NDC presidential candidate, former President Mahama as well as some of their parliamentary aspirants are being cheated of their win by the EC.

Pushed To The Ground

A number of about 50 MPs who were clad in black attire were initially stopped at the Ridge roundabout but managed to cross the barricade while they were being pushed by the police.

They were also stopped at the Electoral Commission office at the entrance again stopped by the police. Some members of parliament were even pushed to the ground by these police personnel.

'Peaceful Walk' Not A Demo

Some MPs who described the situation as unfortunate said they were only there to present a petition to the Electoral Commission adding that it was not a demonstration but a peaceful walk to the EC office.

Parliament Is Dear To EC

The statement further explained that – “Indeed, the Electoral Commission later learned that the Minority in Parliament delivered the said letter informing the Electoral Commission of its intended presentation scheduled for today Tuesday the 22nd of December at 10:08 this morning.”

“The letter gives the start time of the said presentation as 10:00 am, giving the Commission no notice to receive the Minority Caucus given that the Chairperson and her senior team were not in the office.”

“It is important to state, the leadership of the Electoral Commission respects and holds dear Ghana’s institutions of State, a key one being the Parliament of Ghana. As such, had the Electoral Commission been properly notified of the said presentation, its leadership would have been present to receive the petition from the Minority in Parliament.