Election Petition: We Are Gladdened By Supreme Court’s Ruling – Frank Davies
A Lawyer for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the election petition case has expressed satisfaction after the Supreme Court dismissed an application filed by lawyers of John Dramanai Mahama, seeking for the Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensa to admit to some errors contained in her declaration of the December 7 election results.
According to Frank Davies, the opposition mounted by Counsel for the Electoral Commission and the president was rendered by the 7-member panel in its.
Counsel of the National Democratic Congress’ flagbearer, led by Tsatsu Tsikata indicated during the apex court hearing that, the request, which entailed 12 interrogatory questions, was intended to “narrow the suit and make clear the intentions of the Petitioner”.
Among the questions posed to the EC Chair was one about when she, as the returning officer, realised there were some errors in the results declared.
However, there was opposition from the lawyers for the Electoral Commission and 2nd respondent, Nana Akufo-Addo who argued that the application was irrelevant, adding that Mahama’s lawyers only sought “to introduce through the back door, new facts that are not in the petition before the court.”
After hearing the arguments from both sides, there was a unanimous decision by the judges, presided over by Chief Justice Kwesi Annin-Yeboah, to throw out the motion by Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata on grounds that, it was irrelevant and does not relate to the issue between the parties involved. He further added that the precedent on which the NDC Lawyer based his arguments was amended thus, does not hold.
Speaking to the media afterwards, Frank Davies alleged that the petition was an attempt by the NDC to delay the hearing which has a 42-day duration.
“The application for interrogatories was dismissed outrightly by a unanimous panel of seven. This tells you that the petitioner has a long way to go so far as this petition is concerned. We are gladdened by the fact that the opposition we mounted was exactly what was rendered by the Supreme Court in its ruling.”
“There are ground rules which have been set for this petition and the Supreme Court is not going to allow for unnecessary and interminable delays in the hearing of this petition. “
He disclosed that although the NDC lawyers had the right to request for time to have certified copies of the ruling, he reiterated “…that will not delay the trial. The court has indicated quite clearly that tomorrow morning we are here for the pre-trial. Tomorrow morning at 9:30 am we’ll be here.”
The case has been adjourned to Wednesday, January 20, 2020, for the commencement of another pre-trial.
