The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has successfully managed five out of
the six elections since the adoption of Ghana’s 1992 Republican Constitution,
which gave legal status to the country’s democratisation process despite
some administrative lapses over the years. The 2012 presidential election,
however, served as a credibility test for the EC. In this paper my main
objective is to analyse critically the Ghana 2012 election petition as an
expression of mistrust in, and dissatisfaction with, the EC’s performance. I
argue that, at least in the case of Ghana, the success of an electoral process is
largely a function of the human factor, not necessarily the legal frameworks
and regulations in force. Using the theory of accountability, I analyse the
role of temporary election officers in eroding public confidence in electoral
processes. I also draw attention to some implications of Ghana’s Supreme
Court judgment on election administration in future. My recommendations
include punishment for officers whose negligence causes avoidable political
tensions, to demonstrate the state’s determination to demand accountability
from election officers on behalf of citizens. To support this argument, my
study uses thematic content analysis of the petitioners’ court affidavit, the
court’s judgment and legal opinions proffered through media outlets.