Martin Kpebu Says Petition to Remove EC Chair Jean Mensa “Not Surprising”
Accra, Ghana- Legal practitioner Martin Kpebu says the filing of petitions seeking the removal of Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Jean Mensa comes as no surprise, arguing that recent actions by the Commission made such an outcome predictable.
Speaking on TV3’s News Central on Monday, Mr. Kpebu linked the move to what he described as a pattern of institutional resistance to transparency. “I am not surprised; it was clear Jean Mensa was going to go,” he said. “When we asked for an audit of the voter register, Jean Mensa would not allow it, so you could see there was something they were hiding.”
The petitions, totaling seven, target the top hierarchy of the Electoral Commission Chairperson Jean Mensa and her deputies, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare and Samuel Tettey. In a related development, three additional petitions have also been filed seeking the removal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
According to a report by Graphic Online, all petitions have been formally transmitted to the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who is constitutionally mandated to determine whether a prima facie case exists to establish a committee of inquiry.
Under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, the EC Chairperson enjoys the same terms and conditions of service as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, while the deputies are accorded the status of Justices of the High Court. This constitutional protection ensures that any removal process follows strict judicial procedures similar to those for senior judges, involving an independent panel and recommendations to the President.
The unfolding situation has drawn keen public attention, with analysts suggesting that it could test Ghana’s institutional commitment to electoral independence and accountability ahead of the 2028 general elections.
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