President Mahama dismisses petitions for removal of EC officials and special prosecutor

President John Dramani Mahama has rejected multiple petitions calling for the removal of the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, her deputies, and the Special Prosecutor, following a determination by the Chief Justice that no prima facie case exists to warrant further action.

The Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, confirmed the development in a statement issued Wednesday, revealing that ten separate petitions had been filed at Jubilee House in late 2025 under the constitutional removal process.

Seven of the petitions targeted EC Chair Jean Mensa and her two deputies, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare and Samuel Tettey, while three sought the removal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.

In accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, the petitions were referred to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for preliminary constitutional scrutiny. Following review, the Chief Justice determined that the allegations presented did not meet the threshold of establishing a prima facie case that would justify further investigation or the constitution of a formal inquiry committee.

Under constitutional provisions governing the removal of such officeholders, a prima facie case must first be established before a five-member tribunal can be empaneled to investigate allegations of stated misbehaviour, incompetence, or incapacity.

The petitioners, including Joseph Blankson Adumadzie, an EC staff member who petitioned against the Commission’s leadership, had alleged various grounds including cronyism, abuse of office, and gross incompetence, which they claimed had eroded public confidence in the institutions. Specific details of the complaints remain legally protected under constitutional confidentiality provisions.

The petitions had sparked broader public debate about accountability and institutional independence, with observers emphasizing the need for careful handling of high-level removal processes to protect institutional integrity and reputations until formal thresholds are met.

The presidency is expected to issue an official communication regarding the development.