The judiciary has the men and women who are committed to safeguarding and protecting the electoral rights of Ghanaians, the Chief Justice (CJ) has assured.
Theodora Georgina Wood said the court has since the start of 2016 demonstrated its preparedness to expedite action on electoral disputes brought before it and would do more in the coming days.
She cited the court’s treatment of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s Kwesimintim parliamentary primary election dispute in which Joseph Mensah challenged his disqualification.
Mindful of the Electoral Commission (EC)’s September 29 to 30 deadline for filing of presidential and parliamentary elections, the head of the judiciary said she recalled Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Eaash during the legal vacation to fast-track the case.
Justice Bernasko-Eaash ruled that Mr Mensah was unjustifiably disqualified from contesting in the primary and asked for him to be reinstated. He went on to defeat the long-serving Member of Parliament (MP) for the NPP in the area, Joe Baidoe-Ansah.
“Time was of the essence [so] the case was disposed of in two weeks and I want to thank Lady Justice for her diligence and professionalism,” she said.
The CJ disclosed this during a special forum organised by the Judiciary on the theme ‘The Judiciary and 2016 Election’ in Accra.
With 42 days to the presidential and parliamentary election, the EC has come under several court actions for disqualifying some 12 political parties from the election.
EC boss, Charlotte Osei had told the media in Accra during her announcement that the rejected parties failed to adhere to the directives as contained in the Constitutional Instrument (C. I.94).
The Commission is currently battling with a suit from the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the All People’s Congress (APC).
Other political parties namely the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) have indicated they would sue the EC in court in the coming days over the disqualification of their Presidential Candidates.
Some political actors and commentators have predicted the behaviour of the EC boss if not checked might plunge the country into a constitutional crisis. They believe the postponement of the polls which has been fixed on December 7 could affect the country.
Minority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu had told Joy News on the day the EC rejected the nominations of the 12 political parties that he had wondered if the behavior of the EC boss could not lead Ghana to the Nigeria situation in which the 2015 election was postponed for six weeks.
The respected legislator was emphatic that the December 7 date is fixed because it is the only “congruent date for holding the presidential and parliamentary elections.”
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