The Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, has justified the decision of the Commission to appeal the judgment of an Accra High Court, quashing its disqualification of the Progressive Peoples’ Party (PPP) Flagbearer, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, from the December 7 presidential race.
She believes a judgment from the Supreme Court would resolve the five other lawsuits it is saddled with, following its disqualification of 11 other presidential aspirants.
[contextly_sidebar id=”7SFOZQHZp1QGsUObLrKj5BPXMFdduoDU”]Speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in the United Kingdom, Mrs. Osei noted that, the only point of contention in the disqualification issue, revolved around “how you define the nomination period.”
“The decision was taken by the Commission not to accept the 13 nomination forms that were presented by the other candidates. The court has not said that those failings were not there. The dispute has been as to what is the nomination period.”
Thus she said, “we have felt that because we have five candidates challenging; it is better for us to go and challenge this at the Supreme Court so that there is one definitive ruling that covers everyone.”
“The Supreme Court has heard both sides. It is going to give a ruling on Monday. When the ruling is given, we would respect it,” Mrs. Osei said, adding that, “even when it has been very difficult for us, we have made sure that we were following the law very strictly.”
Successful appeal may not reflect on other lawsuits
Meanwhile a private legal practitioner, Akoto Ampaw, has already warned that, it would be wrong for the Commission to assume that a successful appeal at the Supreme Court, would resolve the other lawsuits it is saddled with.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, Mr. Ampaw said it would be erroneous for the EC to assume that, by sending Nduom’s application to the Supreme Court, the determination would resolve the other pending applications.
The EC recently decided to head to the Supreme Court to overturn a High Court judgment quashing the disqualification of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom.
It is also fighting lawsuits from the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Independent People’s Party (IPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC).
The parties want the court to compell the EC to allow them to correct the mistakes on their presidential nomination forms and the PPP and the All People’s Congress (APC) have been succesfull in that regard.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana