Dismiss Mahama’s motion to halt the election petition— Akufo-Addo
Dismiss Mahama’s motion to halt the election petition— Akufo-Addo
Documents have been filed on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo indicating his objection to a request by the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) 2020 flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama to the Supreme Court to put the election petition hearing on hold.
Mr Mahama through his lawyers is demanding that hearings are halted until the Supreme Court deals with a review application he has filed.
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The documents signed by one of Mr Akufo-Addo’s lawyers, Kwaku Asirifi, described the request by Mr Mahama as “unmeritorious and calculated to stall the hearing of the petition.”
Former President Mahama is at the Apex court challenging the 2020 election results.
The court on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, ordered the legal team of the NDC files its witness statements by close of Thursday, January 21.
READ ALSO: Election Petition: Mahama demands court to halt the case
However the NDC legal team after failing to present to court its witness documents, they were asking that the court halts all proceedings relating to the case till it determines their review application.
The lawyers argued that a serious miscarriage of justice would be occasioned if the court proceeds without a determination of the review application.
This they explained would result in irreparable harm that cannot be remedied.
But President Akufo-Addo whose electoral victory is being challenged disagrees.
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The document filed on his behalf by his lawyers makes the case that Former President Mahama was well aware of the strict 42-day timeline imposed on the Supreme Court to deal with election petitions.
It states further that the law imposing such a requirement was gazetted and came into force on January 5, 2017 when Mr Mahama was President of Ghana.
They further argued that Mr Mahama could have filed his interrogatories request shortly after filing his petition on December 30, 2020 or at least on January 9,2021 when he received the EC and President Akufo-Addo’s response.
The lawyers said the request was deliberately made late as a part of a plot to stampede the clear timelines imposed on the Supreme Court.
“There are no exceptional circumstances occasioning a miscarriage of justice that warrant the grant of the instant application for stay of proceedings.”
“This honorable court ought to dismiss the application as unmeritorious and calculated to stall the hearing of a petition that he himself has initiated,” the lawyer said.
Source: www.spotonnews.net
