Akufo-Addo responds to John Mahama’s amended election petition

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has, through his lawyers, filed a response to the amended election petition of the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama.

Henry Nana Boakye who is a spokesperson of the president’s legal team in an interview with Citi News monitored by GhanaWeb said the response was in line with a directive by the Supreme Court.

“By the natural sequence of events, once the petitioner has sought the audience of the court to make some amendments in their petition, it is only proper that the respondent also do the same by today. The Supreme Court gave an order that if you have any response to the amended petition, you should file it today,” he said.

The legal team spokesperson, however, insists that the president’s lawyers maintain its preliminary objection for the case to be dismissed.

“They do not have to waste the court’s time on these issues because the facts they have presented do not support their case,” he added.

Mr Mahama’s petition as presented to the Supreme Court on December 30, 2020, was seen to contain mistakes including, interchanging the Electoral Commission and President Akufo-Addo in one of the reliefs being sought.

Mr Mahama who filed a motion to amend the said errors was given the green light by the Supreme Court who in granting the motion said the typographical errors sought to be corrected did not materially affect the substance of the case.

Former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress are challenging the 2020 presidential election on claims that it was flawed.

Former President Mahama maintains that between himself and President Akufo-Addo who had the most votes, none of them attained the clear majority of 50% + 1 votes to be declared the winner.

The Electoral Commission in announcing the election results said President Akufo-Addo garnered 51.59 per cent of the votes while Mr. Mahama got 47.37 per cent.

Mr. Mahama based on his claims is asking the Supreme Court to order a re-run of the presidential election between himself and the president.

The seven-member panel of Judges hearing the petition made up of Chief Justice Anin Yeboah; Justices Yaw Appau, Marful Sau, Professor Ashie Kotei, Mariama Owusu, Nene Amegatcher and Gertrude Tokonor has adjourned the hearing to Tuesday, January 19, 2021, for pre-trial to commence.