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Outgoing Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan says the country’s Supreme Court never ordered the Commission to compulsorily undertake electoral reforms.

He argued that the Supreme Court only made recommendations when it was giving out its ruling on the 2012 Election Petition case.

His clarification was in response to allegations that the EC had refused to abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling to institute electoral reforms before the 2016 general elections. 

Dr Afari Gyan made these remarks when the 10-member Committee set up to review the recommendations for a possible reform in the electoral system presented its report on Friday.

“Everybody is saying something about electoral reforms and there are people who keep saying the electoral commission is not serious. Electoral reforms are not done on one day, it requires very hard thinking because you have to do it within the context of the entire electoral framework. Its also not done by one person, you need to collaborate with various stakeholders to build consensus on what is required,” Dr. Afari Gyan remarked.

He observed that “some people have been saying that the Electoral Commission has refused to act on the recommendations of the Supreme Court. I’m happy that they talk about recommendations because the Supreme Court didn’t issue any orders for electoral reform. Some of them made recommendations for electoral reform and those recommendations have to be taken on board as recommendations made by the various stakeholders.”“They were not orders that were issued to the Electoral Commission,” he insisted.

I have said that courts adjudicates conflict over elections, they do not run election. It’s the duty of the electoral commission to run elections.”

He however expressed gratitude to the Committee for the report saying “those that would be adopted will be adopted in that context.”