The respondents in the 2020 presidential election petition at the Supreme Court of Ghana have filed their separate witness statements and other processes as per the orders of the apex court.

A seven-member panel of the apex court last Wednesday directed the parties to file their witness statement and preliminary objections if any within specific timelines.

The petitioner, who is challenging the December 7 elections, former President John Mahama, and his lawyers have since filed a motion for stay of proceedings, despite being asked to file witness statements and other exhibits last Thursday.

In a separate witness statement filed by the respondents, the Electoral Commission, which is the 1st Respondent in a 20-paragraph witness statement deposed to by the Chairperson of the Commission Jean Mensa among other things denied vote padding in favour of the 2nd Respondent.

According to the commission, the Petitioner is not entitled to the claims he is seeking and prayed the court to dismiss the petition.

On the part of the 2nd Respondent in a witness deposed to the court by Peter Mac Manu, in a 35-paragraph witness statement said “the instant action is a ruse and a face-saving gimmick by the Petitioner, after the Petitioner and some senior members of his NDC had prematurely pronounced the outright victory in the election only to be badly exposed by results of the 1st Respondent.

Both respondents have also filed preliminary legal objections arguing that, the petition does not raise any reasonable cause of action and should be dismissed.

The panel chaired by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah with support from Justice Yaw Appau, Justice Samuel Marful-Sau, Justice Nene Amegatcher, Justice Prof Nii Ashie Kotey, Justice Marriama Owusu, and Justice Gertrude Torkornoo would sit on the matter on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.