General News of Thursday, 14 January 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Jean Mensa shows up in court on first day of election petition hearing

Jean Mensa entering the courtroom Jean Mensa entering the courtroom

Jean Mensa, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission was among a list of public figures who were present at the Supreme Court today for the hearing of the 2020 election petition, January 14, 2021.

The EC chair was draped in a wine mini-jacket and sat in the courtroom throughout the process.

Also in court was Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the running mate of John Dramani Mahama in the 2020 elections.

John Mahama was also present in court and with Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress.

On the first day of the hearing, the Supreme Court granted a request by the lawyers of John Mahama to amend portions of their petition.

The request was opposed by the lawyers of the Electoral Commission and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who are first and second respondents respectively.

The court however upheld Mahama’s request and gave the lawyers up until 4pm to correct the anomalies.

The court also announced that it has decided that the hearing should be telecast live on media platforms.

The EC which is being represented by Justin Amenuvor and AA Somuah is praying the Supreme Court to reject the request by John Mahama for a re-run of the elections.

In its response to Mahama’s petition, the EC described the petition is untenable and without legal basis.

“The full results of the December 7 presidential election was known to the petitioner and that the claims in the petition are contrived, have no legal basis and ought to be dismissed,” the EC argued.