Petition to Sack EC Chair Was Long Expected – Lawyer Ohene-Gyan
Legal practitioner Lawyer Ohene-Gyan says the petition seeking the removal of Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Jean Mensa does not come as a surprise, arguing that political undercurrents over the years made such a development inevitable.
In an exclusive interview with Akua-PiesieAsareBediako, the lawyer noted that signs of an impending petition had been visible even before the National Democratic Congress (NDC) assumed power.
“To be honest, this petition was expected. The process started long ago, and everything pointed to the fact that Jean Mensa was going to face removal under this administration,” he stated.
According to Lawyer Ohene-Gyan, elements within the NDC had consistently opposed Jean Mensa’s appointment years back , making her potential removal only a matter of time once the party returned to government.
“There are people in the NDC who never liked the idea of Jean Mensa becoming EC boss. Some made it clear that the moment the party returns to power, they would push for her removal,” he disclosed.
The lawyer also drew parallels to the 2018 removal of former EC Chairperson Charlotte Osei, stating that the episode set a benchmark in the public’s mind, indirectly shaping expectations for Jean Mensa’s fate after a change in government.
“What happened to Charlotte Osei set a precedent. So naturally, people expected the same thing to happen to Jean Mensa when power changed hands,” he observed.
Ohene-Gyan explained that the petition would likely have been initiated earlier if not for constitutional bottlenecks arising from controversies involving former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
“The only reason the petition delayed was because of the issues surrounding the former Chief Justice. Since the Chief Justice handles such petitions, her situation slowed everything down,” he said.
The lawyer added that the petition is also unfolding in a context where public sentiment appears to be shifting in favour of the NDC.
In previous analysis, he argued that the NDC currently enjoys broader public appeal compared to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), citing waning confidence in the former administration.
Lawyer Ohene-Gyan concluded that the petition represents a predictable outcome rather than a dramatic political twist.
“The petition is not new or surprising. It was fully expected. Everything that has happened falls in line with what people anticipated,” he emphasized.
The petition will now proceed through the constitutionally mandated channels for determining whether the EC Chair should be removed from office.
