Press Statement from the National Democratic Congress on the attempt to obtain an Ex-parte injunction to prevent the declaration of the results of the Presidential Elections

The National Democratic Congress has noted that earlier today the 1st of January 2009, the New Patriotic Party attempted to obtain an injunction against the Electoral Commission to delay the declaration of the results of the Presidential Elections. However the presiding Judge in his wisdom decided that it was important that both the Electoral Commission and the National Democratic Congress were also served with the court processes before he would proceed with hearing their application on Saturday the 3rd of January and give a ruling on Monday the 5th of January.

Therefore as the application has not been granted there is no injunction that would prevent the Electoral Commission from announcing the results of the Presidential Elections as soon as the Elections in the Tain Constituency are concluded and the results announced. We would also like to inform the good people of Ghana that the application filed today in the Fast Track High Court in Accra has nothing to do with the elections in the Tain Constituency and therefore can not be used as a basis to prevent that election from coming on tomorrow on the 2nd of January 2009.

The NDC wishes to assure its supporters and the good people of Ghana that it is ready to participate in the elections in the Tain Constituency. Therefore all the Party’s Polling Agents, and the electorate in the Tain Constituency should hold themselves in readiness to participate in the elections tomorrow the 2nd of January 2008. The NDC as a political party will always respect the will of the people and will not resort to using legal procedures to frustrate the peoples will. We therefore encourage our supporters to remain calm and wait for the outcome of the results of the elections to be held tomorrow.

We also wish to add our voices to that of our Flagbearer - Professor John Evans Atta-Mills and wish the good people of Ghana a Happy, Prosperous and Better New Year.

Hanna Tetteh Director of Communications National Democratic Congress

1st January 2008, Accra