A member of United Party (UP), Solomon Owusu has argued that Ghana’s peaceful 2024 general election cannot be credited to the Electoral Commission, accusing the institution of failing to act as a neutral arbiter in some constituencies.
Owusu made the remarks during a discussion about comments by an Electoral Commission member concerning the institution’s credibility and public approval.
He argued that the country avoided greater electoral tensions because of circumstances beyond the commission’s actions, maintaining that some of its decisions could have produced a different outcome.
“We are enjoying our peace today not because the Electoral Commission decided to do anything that will bring peace. We were saved by grace, and I will continue to maintain it,” he said on Joy Prime.
Owusu alleged that the commission had not always acted impartially during the electoral process, claiming that its conduct in some areas raised questions about its neutrality.
“The Electoral Commission did not behave as a neutral arbiter. They went there with a motive in most of the places,” he alleged.
He nevertheless maintained that political parties should not assume they can retain power by influencing the electoral process, arguing that good governance remains the key to winning public support.
“The will of the people is the will of God. You can never short-change them,” he said.
“If the people are bent on changing you, no amount of the military, no amount of Electoral Commission machinations will help you. The only solution to maintaining or retaining power is to govern and govern well,” he added.
Owusu also argued that election administration extends beyond voting and counting ballots, saying decisions taken throughout the process can affect public confidence and the credibility of the results.
He cited past electoral disputes, including the challenges surrounding the 2012 and 2020 elections, as examples of how political parties have raised concerns about the commission’s conduct.
