Two members of the communications teams of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akua Avle and Mari Timekye respectively have, expectedly, expressed varied opinions over calls by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for two commissioners appointed by President Akufo-Addo to the Electoral Commission, to resign.
A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has called for the resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene and Madam Salima Tijani over their alleged affiliation with the NPP.
Speaking on Onua TV’s Pae Mu Ka show on September 29, 2023, Nana Akua Avle from the camp of the NDC repeated the allegation that the two appointees are card bearing members of the NPP.
“Dr. Appiahene is an NPP card bearer and Salima Tijani is the daughter of a former NPP executive in the Northern Region, and the NPP members are aware that these individuals are card bearing members of the party,” she stressed.
Madam Avle further alleged that the Electoral Commission has politicised its processes.
“The Electoral Commission, which is supposed to be an independent body has politicised everything and its activities, to the extent of appointing members of the New Patriotic Party to the Commission, making the Commission to be biased. Former President Mahama would not have appointed anybody from his party, because the EC is supposed to be an independent body and should contain independent people who are not affiliated to any political party to steer the affairs of the Commission,” she stated.
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Mari Timekye on the other hand, claimed that the NDC is fueling this call for the two commissioners to resign.
“I always ask myself whether there is some form of rivalry between the EC and the NDC, apart from the call for resignation of these appointees. I think what Nana Akua just said suggests the NDC is the mastermind behind the CSOs call for the resignation of these appointees,” she alleged.
The NPP communicator insisted that Dr. Appiahene and Salima Tijani are not affiliated to the party.
“Appiahene was a lecturer and there is no evidence that shows he is an NPP member,” she stated.
By Esther Nyantakyiwaa Akaba