COMMENT: Why should live telecast of election petition cause sleepless nights?

Since the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana directed that the current election petition before the Supreme Court of Ghana should be telecast live for all Ghanaians to monitor, some persons within the NDC especially are against it.

And I honestly wonder why the televising of the proceedings should be giving some people sleepless nights!

Some of them are all over the media saying that the Chief Justice of Ghana had no right to direct that the hearing be shown live for all to monitor. This is strange. She hasn’t got the right to direct that the hearing should be heard live but nobody has violated that order and indeed we are watching the proceedings.

Those NDC communication team members who are against it can also direct the Supreme Court to stop the live airing if they have the right. If they want they can go to the nearest Court and stop the live broadcast or they should forever remain mute.

How many times do some social commentators want to be told that the televising will minimise tension in the country when judgement is finally passed? And how many people want to be told that the live televising will allow Ghanaians and the rest of the world to know that our Supreme Court Justices are fair and unbiased?

All the processes of the Court proceedings must be respected. I was worried that the Supreme Court issued an administrative directive about how cross examination should be done to fast track the case and some NDC lawyers and commentators were against it! Whatever directive that was given was for all the parties involved in the case and not for one party.

It is Dr. Bawumia who is currently undergoing cross examination. Let all be reminded that, Dr. Afari Gyan and either the President whose election is under dispute or his representative will also be crossed examined under the same new modalities issued by the Court.

The directive given on the style of cross examination is therefore applicable to all the parties in the case. What then necessitated this wolf, wolf cry from the NDC and their agents?

We are been told that, Ghana has come to a stand-still as a result of the Presidential petition; the President has no peace of mind to work and investors will not come to Ghana at this stage especially when the case of who validly won the December 2012 election is still hanging around our necks. It is in the interest of every Ghanaian to get things done expeditiously.

My personal observation is that, the NDC in particular is struggling albeit fruitlessly, to delay the case. I don’t know for whatever reason. Their rat race to transport over 325 of their foot-soldiers to serve as witnesses in the case was another failed attempt at delaying the case.

I wish at this juncture to assure the Judges that, majority of Ghanaians are so far very happy about their commitment to dispose of the case quickly. We thank them for being able to detect delay schemes in their various forms and shapes.

We also thank the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana for the highest sense of professionalism she showed by allowing the live telecast. I personally will like to suggest that she should be given the highest honour of Ghana for this singular and most appropriate decision.

I leave you with the adage that: “Justice delayed is Justice denied”.

Email: Akilu.Sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk