EC apologises to Supreme Court

The Electoral Commission (EC) has apologised to the Supreme Court over the absence of any of the Commission members in court on November 9 when the writ to compel the EC to declare results on Special Voting commenced.

Mr Amadu Sulley, EC Deputy Chairman in Charge of Operations, who rendered the apology said: “it was not intentional. We are sorry. My Lords, this would not happen again”.

Mr Sulley said this after the highest court of the land had dismissed the suit over Special Voting in Accra on Monday.

He said he had spoken to the Commission's lawyer, Mr Sean Poku to apologise for the absence of the Commission’s members in court.

On November 9, this year, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court registered their displeasure over the absence of the seven Commission members in court.

The Court noted that the commission member’s non-appearance connoted a “share gross disrespect” to the Court, adding that if any of them were present, they would have assisted the Court with answers relating to the matter.

“You must give respect to the judiciary by making your presence felt in court, we know you have been busy but you can assign any of the Directors to represent you in court,” Justice Jones Dotse said.

The Court presided over by Justice William Atuguba wanted to know whether there were countries that had practised earlier, special or advance voting and whether or not the counting had been done the same day votes were cast or suspended until polls were closed.

Other members on the panel were Justice Anin Yeboah, Justice Jones Victor Dotse, Justice Ampah Benin, Justice Yaw Appau and Justice Gabriel Pwamang.

They also wanted to know how and where these ballots were kept adding the Attorney General did not conduct elections and would, therefore, not know all issues relating to elections.

According to the court in the case of Abu Ramadan verses the EC, some of the Commission members were in court and when they needed clarification, Mr Thaddeus Sory, who represented the EC, consulted them and the matters were resolved.

The Supreme Court also sought for clarity as to whether the venues for the Special Voting were part of the 29,000 voting centres and whether ballots cast at these centres were added to those in the various constituencies that voting took place.

Dr Kwame Amoako-Tuffuor, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and two others, proceeded to the highest court of the land to seek an order to compel the Commission to announce results of special voting on the same day it was held.

Dr Amoako-Tuffuor and the other plaintiffs, Benjamin Arthur and Adreba Abrefa Damoa contended that security operatives and persons who would usually be working on the Election Day partake in the special voting.