A petition has been filed requesting President John Mahama to remove the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, along with Deputy EC Chairs Samuel Tetteh and Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, and EC member Dr. Peter Appiahene.

The petition which was filed on January 27, argues that these EC officials have violated fundamental human rights under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution. It also accuses them of incompetence, bias, and actions that have damaged public trust in the Commission’s integrity, violating Articles 23 and 296 of the Constitution.

The petitioner, based in the Volta Region, pointed to the disenfranchisement of voters in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) areas during the 2020 parliamentary elections as a major violation of citizens' rights. The petition claims that the SALL residents were denied representation in Parliament, which could have affected the balance of power in a hung parliament.

"For over four years, the people of SALL were deprived of their constitutional right to parliamentary representation, leaving them without a voice in the legislative process. Also, at the time of this deliberate exclusion, the parliamentary composition was a hung parliament. The SALL area’s parliamentary vote was pivotal and could have potentially given the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a majority.By disenfranchising these voters, the EC acted in a manner that suggests partisan bias and an attempt to influence the balance of power in Parliament."

Further allegations include what the petitioner described as poor management during the 2020 elections, with errors in presidential election results and claims of overt partisanship by certain commissioners.

"The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, in concert with her deputies, has demonstrated gross incompetence in the performance of her duties. Announcing such a critical decision (Exhibit A) on the eve of an election suggests poor management and a failure to anticipate the impact of the Guan District’screation on electoral arrangements."

The petitioner also referenced past comments and actions by Dr. Bossman Asare and Dr. Peter Appiahene, accusing them of compromising the EC's impartiality.

"Dr. Bossman Asare, made numerous social media comments on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter before his appointment, displaying overt bias against the opposition party. These statements have raised questions about his impartiality and suitability for the role."

The petition urges President Mahama to take action under Article 146 of the Constitution to restore public trust in the electoral process. It is backed by substantial evidence and exhibits to support the claims made. The Presidency has yet to comment on the issue.

Jean Mensa became the EC Chairperson on July 23, 2018, following the removal of her predecessor, Charlotte Osei. Since then, she has overseen two major elections.

This is not the first time Jean Mensa has faced such challenges. In August 2020, she successfully defended herself against a petition filed by the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), which was dismissed by former President Akufo-Addo. The dismissal came after it was noted that although Mensa had not declared her assets at the time, she took the necessary steps to do so when the issue was raised.

Additionally, in August 2022, the Fix the Country Movement also submitted a petition to former President Akufo-Addo, concerning the electoral rights of residents in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) areas in the Oti Region.