Bawumia: Election petition gave me sleepless nights

The 2012 running mate of the New Patriotic Party Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed he had sleepless nights throughout the landmark election petition case that challenged the legitimacy of President John Mahama.

In 2013, the NPP’s 2012 presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate Bawumia and the party’s chairman at the time, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, went to the Supreme Court of Ghana to challenge the 2012 presidential results due to alleged irregularities at the polling centres. They prayed the highest Court of the land to annul the election results.

The nine-member panel headed by Justice William Atuguba ruled in favour of President Mahama and the Electoral Commission on August 29, 2013.

One year on, Dr Bawumia, who was the principal witness for the petitioners, has revealed that he “didn’t have a sound sleep” throughout the 4-month court sitting that put Ghana on the world map as an exemplary democratic state in Africa.

“Throughout the case I don’t think I ever slept soundly,” the former deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana told Accra-based Joy FM.

He recalled that on the eve of the infamous ruling: “It was a night full of rumours.”

Dr Bawumia, who is looking forward to partnering Nana Akufo-Addo for the third time in the 2016 elections, said it was never a fruitless venture to have resorted to the court to decide their differences. For him, the landmark case has strengthened Ghana’s democracy.

“I have mixed feelings about it and I’m positive about the outlook and impact on Ghana’s democracy,” Dr. Bawumia pointed out.