A spokesperson for the legal team of former President John Dramani Mahama in the ongoing election petition hearing, Dr Dominic Ayine, has expressed shock at the dismissal of a motion filed by the petitioners which was asking the 1st Respondent Electoral Commission (EC) some questions ahead of the substantive matter.
Mr Mahama wanted the Commission’s Chair Jean Mensa to admit, among other things, that the figures and percentages she announced come to 100.3% instead of 100%.
The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also wanted her to admit that the subsequent correction of results in statements issued by the EC is different from what candidates obtained as captured in the summary of results sheets published by the EC.
But the Supreme Court, presided over by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, in a unanimous decision dismissed the application for interrogatories allowing for the substantive matter to be heard.
Dr Ayine who is the lawmaker for Bolgatanga East indicated that the court in dismissing the motion, kicked against its own position from the election petition in 2013 “without according reasons as is required by the constitutions and existing practices and precedents.”
“We think that the court sidestepped the basic issues that were brought before it. We think that the issues were very relevant because they go to the integrity of the pleadings that were filed.”
“Our application was basically to elicit answers that will lead to an expeditious determination of the matter, so we don’t have to take them to cross-examination and have a lengthy trial.”
source: Peace FM
