25 February 2021
The Supreme Court in a unanimous ruling on March 4 2021, dismissed John Mahama's petition challenging the validity of the election results as declared by the Electoral Commission.
The candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in a tweet made this claim after the apex court ruled that he was validly elected and that Mr Mahama's case lucks merit.
“On Thursday, 4th March 2021, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling, affirmed my victory in the presidential election of 7th December 2020”, he posted on Twitter.
Supreme Court Ruling
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, March 4, 2020, Chief Justice, Anim Yeboah stated that the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt. The Supreme Court panel added that the errors announced by the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, cannot be used to invalidate the election after those had been corrected.
''The petition is dismissed and that it has no merit'' as read by Chief Justice, Anim Yeboah.
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 Mr Mahama and President Akufo-Addo.
The Chief Justice in reading the judgment described as fanciful the witness statement by the 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 has been 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.
SilverNEWS
