Mr Anthony Akoto Ampaw, Lead Counsel of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2020 Presidential Election Petition, has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to review election results coalition processes.
“I believe that the EC itself and other stakeholders need a closer review of the actual processes and procedures that they took in arriving at the final Coalition of results in the 2020 Elections. And to see whether there is the need for some reforms,” Mr Akoto Ampaw stated in his submission at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana) Roundtable dubbed, “Presidential Election Petitions and their Impact on Africa’s Democracy”.
“I can see quite clearly that there may be some reforms to the CI (Constitutional Instrument) 127; looking at it, I can see that from this experience. But I am saying that given the issues that were brought before the Court, frankly speaking, the Court had very little opportunity to make any recommendations for reforms.” Mr Akoto Ampaw said.
He noted that if one had a case of this nature before the Highest Court, and the case raised substantial issues of facts, then one could expect that in coming out with a judgement, the Supreme Court apart from making a decision, would make recommendations based on some of the issues of facts that were raised in the cause of trial.
“But honestly, I am of the view that legally speaking, there was no case before the Supreme Court,” he said.
He noted that where a substantive grievance was brought before the Court, even if the Court should rule against the petitioner, the Court might see the need to make recommendations.
Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, a member of former President John Dramani Mahama’s Legal Team in the 2020 Presidential Election Petition, in a rebuttal, noted that even a Justice of the Supreme Court, who was part of the panel of judges that sat on the case, said there was a reasonable cause of action in the case that was brought before the Court.
Dr Ayine maintained that what Mr Akoto Ampaw was saying was not what the Court said.
He said the ruling of the Apex Court in the 2020 Presidential Election Petition had dampened his faith in the Judiciary.
