The main opposition All Peoples Congress APC has registered its complete objection to the appointment of Mr Mohamed Kenewui Konneh as chairman of the National Electoral Commission by President Julius Maada Bio.
The APC party raised the objection in a position paper issued Tuesday 28th July, 2020, by APC party National Secretary General, Alhaji Ambassador Osman Foday Yansanneh, following the approval of Mr Konneh by the Appointment Committee in the House of Parliament, on three premises, ranging from the fact that President Bio’s appointment of Konneh as chairman of NEC, “goes against the intention of the drafters, the spirit of the constitution and Public Elections Act 2012.
The paper clearly outlines that Mr Konneh is a public officer which makes him illegible for the position of chairman of NEC.
It explains that the new NEC chairman is an employee of a public corporation up to the time of his appointment, stating constitutional provisions that further disqualify Mr Konneh from holding the position of NEC chairman.
“For appointment as member of the Electoral Commission if he is not qualified to be as a Member of Parliament of a public officer or if he/she has attained the age of sixty-five years,” states 32(4).
The APC party position paper furthered that Mr Konneh is an employee of a public corporation established by an Act of Parliament therefore he is disqualified from being appointed as a member of NEC on the basis of 32(1) (a) (b), and 75, 76 (1) (b).
However concern over the controversial appointment of Mr Konneh and his qualifications for the position have also been raised by the APC in interest of international best practices and for the sake of transparency of the would be electoral process and outcome of the conduct of public elections.
