Election Petition: I completely disagree with the ruling of the Supreme Court – Mahama

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 elections, John Dramani Mahama, has stated that he completely disagrees with the ruling of the Supreme Court on the Election Petition.

Addressing Ghanaians Thursday evening, the former President said even though he is legally bound to accept the ruling of the Supreme Court, the processes adopted by the panel leaves much to be desired.

“As much as I am aware that we are legally bound by the decision of the Supreme Court, I disagree with the processes and the ruling of the Supreme Court,” President Mahama said.

The former President also stated that the legal manoeuvre adopted by the lawyers of the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, to prevent her from testifying and accounting to the people of Ghana sets a bad precedent for the future.

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Mr Mahama also slammed the Supreme Court justices for taking out of context the evidence provided by Johnson Asiedu Nketia and using it as a basis to dismiss his case.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed former President John Mahama’s suit challenging the 2020 election results.

In reading the judgment on Thursday, March 4, 2020, Chief Justice, Anim Yeboah stated that the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt. He added that the errors announced by the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, which were subsequently corrected cannot be used to invalidate the election.

According to the Supreme Court, the errors announced by Jean Mensa did not adversely affect any of the candidates in the 2020 elections. The Supreme Court also held that the petitioner failed to adduce enough evidence to merit a re-run between himself and President Akufo-Addo.

The Chief Justice in reading the judgment also described as fanciful the witness statement by Michael Kpessa-Whyte and Rojo Mettle-Nunoo.

Justice Anim Yeboah said the two witnesses had themselves to blame after abandoning their duty in the strongroom since they were under no obligations to leave when their work in the room was not finished.

Mr Mahama who re-contested the election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), took the Electoral Commission to court, challenging the validity of the Commission’s 9th December 2020 declaration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the winner of the poll.

Mr Mahama also contended in his petition that, President Akufo-Addo did not meet the constitutional threshold for election to the high office of the president yet was so declared.

He was praying the court in the last two months, albeit amidst strong opposition from lawyers for President Akufo-Addo and the Electoral Commission, to nullify the declaration and to cause a re-run between him and President Akufo-Addo.

Source: Starrfm