Supreme Court dismisses Mahama’s petition, affirms Akufo-Addo as president

The Supreme Court has per a unanimous decision thrown out John Mahama’s petition to get the Electoral Commission (EC) to re-run elections between him and President Akufo-Addo.

A judgment delivered Thursday by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah affirmed Nana  Akufo-Addo as a validly elected President of Ghana.

He said the petitioner, John Mahama, did not demonstrate in any way how the alleged errors made by the first respondent, the EC, affected the presidential election results announced by EC boss, Jean Mensa.

“The petitioner has not produced any evidence to re-butt the presumption created by the publication of the C.I. 135”,  he said, dismissing the petition for a re-run of elections.

The apex court  in its seven-member unanimous decision therefore dismissed the petition, saying it  was without merit.

The court held that the figures as announced by the EC chairperson clearly showed that President Akufo-Addo obtained more than 50 percent of the total valid votes cast to be the validly elected President of Ghana.

The court further noted that fact was even admitted by the petitioner in his petition which was also corroborated in court by NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah who was Mr Mahama’s principal witness.

Mahama To Address Party Supporters

Addressing a press after the ruling, NDC’s director of  legal affairs Abraham Amaliba said former president John Mahama will address the nation at 5 PM today in relation to the judgment.

NPP’s Views

The legal team of the ruling NPP led by Frank Davies also said the judgment was fair because the petitioner did not prove beyond reasonable doubt that the EC announced presidential results fraught with errors.

Davies said “the petitioner did not show one single evidence to show” that they deserve to be heard and grant their wish for a re-run of the presidential elections.

He said although there were channels the petitioners could employ legally to challenge the verdict of the  apex court, Davies prayed  that Ghanaians accept the judgment the supreme interest of the nation.

By Henryson Okrah|Myxyzonline.com