General News of Monday, 2 September 2013

Source: Adom TV

NPP to seek review of Supreme Court verdict if...

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has indicated, it may seek review of the judgement delivered by the Supreme Court dismissing a petition filed by the party's 2012 presidential candidate and two others challenging results of the polls.

General Secretary of the party, Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie, disclosed on Badwam on Adom TV, Monday that the petitioners will hold consultations with the National Executive Council (NEC), for a possible review even though the first petitioner; Nana Akufo-Addo has accepted the court's verdict and has declared his intention not to pursue the matter any further.

According to Mr. Owusu-Afriyie, the flagbearer was not the only one who took the matter to court so his decision cannot hold down that of his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and party Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey.

Mr. Owusu-Afriyie, also called Sir John, was reacting to comments on TV3 made by Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, lead counsel for the National Democratic Congress to the effect that, Justice Anin-Yeboah, one of the nine Supreme Court Judges that heard the matter, allowed his political affiliations to cloud his judgement.

According to Mr. Tsikata, Justice Anin-Yeboah’s persistent and consistent opposition to the stance of the NDC stems from the fact that he was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President John Agyekum Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Subsequently, Sir John stated that if the NPP - after studying the judgment - is convinced that the judgment was political, it will seek permission from NEC to proceed to the Supreme Court for a review of the decision.

The Supreme Court in a split decision on Thursday, August 29, 2013, affirmed the declaration of John Dramani Mahama as the legitimate winner of the country’s closely fought 2012 presidential poll.

The nine-member panel dismissed a petition brought by leaders of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) claiming fraud in the election.

The petitioners wanted nearly four million votes nullified on account of which the first petitioner would have been declared winner of the elections.