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Head of the Monitoring Unit of the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu has thrown shade at the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia over his witness statement.

The NDC kingpin has been picked as one of the witnesses by former President John Mahama, the Petitioner in the ongoing election petition before the Supreme Court.

Mr. Asiedu Nketia, popularly called General Mosquito, has told the Supreme Court that the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Adukwie Mensa was biased towards John Mahama.

Witness Statement

Portions of the witness statement read; “The Chairperson of 1st Respondent and 1st Respondents are also not required under Article 296 of the Constitution to be ‘biased either by resentment, prejudice or personal dislike’ in exercising any discretionary power, but they are required to exercise such powers ‘in accordance with due process of law’.

“The Chairperson of 1st Respondent, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa, allowed herself to be biased by her prejudice in favour of the 2nd Respondent, who appointed her in August 2018 and with whose wife Mrs Jean Adukwie Mensa has a close familial relationship. Mrs Mensa was thus, at all material times in the conduct of her responsibilities, biased by prejudice in favour of the 2nd Respondent and against the Petitioner”.

General Mosquito's statement filed on Wednesday, January 27 further said "in announcing the various so-called "corrections" and "corrections" of "Corrections", no officer of 1st Respondent engaged in any consultative process involving petitioner..." adding "it is clear that in seeking to justify the new figures put forward in the (EC's) press release of 10th December 2020, one or more officials of 1st respondent made various adjustments to figures of votes cast for various candidates on their own, in the absence of representatives of Petitioner".

Charles Owusu Blasts Asiedu Nketia

Making his submissions on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Charles Owusu questioned the logic in stating that the close relationship of Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa and the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo means the former was biased in declaring the results.

He wondered why the NDC is not challenging their Parliamentary seats because it is the same Electoral Commissioner who presided over the Parliamentary elections, which results gave them 137 seats in the Legislative House.

"Why didn't she help for them (NPP) to have more Parliamentary seats than the NDC?" he asked.

He found it shocking that the NDC is satisfied with having 137 seats but their General Secretary would claim by virtue of her familial relationship with the President's wife, she manipulated the Presidential election verdict.

"People say she is the Returning Officer for the Presidential elections. Also, every election conducted in Ghana, whether Parliamentary or Presidential, is under her authority. Everything! She has the authority," he told sit-in host Nana Yaw Kesseh.