Deputy Chief of Staff, Abu Jinapor, said the name of the revered law lecturer never came up for consideration, saying the president had always preferred Mrs Jean Mensa.
Government has denied approaching Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu for possible nomination as chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Abu Jinapor, said the name of the revered law lecturer never came up for consideration, saying the president had always preferred Mrs Jean Mensa.
READ MORE: Professor Mensa-Bonsu reportedly rejected EC job
Speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile on Saturday, he clarified: “I have been very much involved in the processes, deliberations, consultations and all that it took to get to this point of the nomination of Madam Jean Mensa.
"Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, has, I can say on authority, never, and I repeat, never, been approached by the President or any member of government as regards her nomination or possible nomination as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
"In fact, it never even came up. Her name never popped up."
The Herald newspaper last week reported that the senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, was approached by the Akufo-Addo administration to become the new chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
However, the offer was "diplomatically" turned down by the academician, who failed in her bid to become a judge at the International Criminal Court, the newspaper reported.
The President, the pro-opposition newspaper said, was racing against time after waiting and hoping the revered lawyer will change her mind and accept the EC top job, according to the newspaper.
The revered lawyer, the newspaper gathered from friends and associate, explained that she wanted to retire quietly from public life and concentrate on writing books to enhance the frontiers of the legal education in Ghana.
Before Jean Mensa was named as Madam Charlotte Osei replacement last week, myjoyonline.com had reported that Professor Mensa-Bonsu was likely to be named the next EC chairperson.
The President is said to have consulted Ghana's most successful Electoral Commissioner Afari Gyan and leading statesmen before settling on the law professor, according to the report.
READ MORE: I told Charlotte Osei not to accept EC job - Bagbin
On Monday, July 23, 2018, the Presidency announced the nomination of the Executive Director of the IEA, Jean Mensa, as the new Chairperson of EC.
Other persons nominated for appointment by President Akufo-Addo to the Commission included; Samuel Tettey for the Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Eric Asare Bossman also as a Deputy Chairperson and Adwoa Asuama Abrefa as a Member of Commission.