Election Petition: 80 NDC members join writ

The petition in which three leading members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) are challenging the declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC) of John Dramani Mahama as President in the December 7 and 8, 2012 general election, is taking a new twist.

This is because nine different groups of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters, making up 80 individuals, have filed applications asking the Supreme Court to allow them to join the petition.

The joinder applications by the NDC surrogates are seen as a ploy to delay the court process.

Imminent Delay

As it is, if the highest court of the land allows them to join, the progress made so far in the case would be grounded to allow the applicants to file their answers to the petition.

Some legal experts are of the view that the latest attempt by the applicants, although a constitutional right, is calculated to drag the trial so that the petition is never heard. But others believe that it is about time the court took a firm stance to deter others from toying with the petition and reputation of the process.

Source of Application

Strangely, it was after the court ordered the petitioners to give ‘further and better particulars’ to the respondents that the instant application started flooding the court’s registry.

All the applications have the stamps of Urafiki Law Consult, Ghana Commercial Bank Main, 1st Floor, Near Meridian Hotel, Tema and it showed that they were all prepared from that chamber.

In fact, a cursory look at all the applications is initiating the action after the petitioners were made to provide details of all the polling stations where they claim irregularities or malpractices occurred.

All the applications state: “We are surprised to hear that the petitioners have in the present petition identified our polling station as one of those whose entire results should be annulled by the Honourable Court on grounds stated in the said petition”.

Applicants Unmasked

Strangely, the applicants who are coming from different regions of the country have the same averments in their affidavits in support of the motions for joinder and they also have the same addresses as group members.

The first group (10 individuals) to file the motion has one Dusime David of Kaneshie Gadakope in the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region as deponent.

All the group members have a similar address and the deposition was made at Kasoa on February 23, 2013 before Commissioner of Oaths called ASP (Rtd) W.E. Domie and they cite B111204 as their polling station code.

In the case of the second group (10 individuals), the deponent is William Kofi Asante of Apeguso in the Asuagyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region on February, 28, 2013. The deposition was made before M.K Agbomadzi, a Commissioner of Oaths in Koforidua on February 28, 2013. They cite E011503 as their polling station code.

The third application (10 individuals) was deposed to by Simon A. Mumuni of Sogashei in the Sagnarigu Constituency in the Northern Region.

They cite H200903 as their polling station code and the application deposed to before a Commissioner of Oaths at the Tamale District Magistrate.

The next application is a group of seven people led by one Gameli Dosoo of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Constituency as the deponent.

They cite B110706 as their polling station and have ASP (Rtd) W.E. Domie as their Commissioner of Oaths.

As regards the fifth group of four individuals, one Patrick Kofi Mensah of Agavenya in the Yilo Krobo Constituency is the deponent.

They cite E04091 as their polling station code and the deposition is certified in Koforidua by M.K. Agbomadzi, a Commissioner of Oaths on February 28, 2013.

The petition in which three leading members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) are challenging the declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC) of John Dramani Mahama as President in the December 7 and 8, 2012 general election, is taking a new twist.

This is because nine different groups of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters, making up 80 individuals, have filed applications asking the Supreme Court to allow them to join the petition.

The joinder applications by the NDC surrogates are seen as a ploy to delay the court process.

Imminent Delay

As it is, if the highest court of the land allows them to join, the progress made so far in the case would be grounded to allow the applicants to file their answers to the petition.

Some legal experts are of the view that the latest attempt by the applicants, although a constitutional right, is calculated to drag the trial so that the petition is never heard. But others believe that it is about time the court took a firm stance to deter others from toying with the petition and reputation of the process.

Source of Application

Strangely, it was after the court ordered the petitioners to give ‘further and better particulars’ to the respondents that the instant application started flooding the court’s registry.

All the applications have the stamps of Urafiki Law Consult, Ghana Commercial Bank Main, 1st Floor, Near Meridian Hotel, Tema and it showed that they were all prepared from that chamber.

In fact, a cursory look at all the applications is initiating the action after the petitioners were made to provide details of all the polling stations where they claim irregularities or malpractices occurred.

All the applications state: “We are surprised to hear that the petitioners have in the present petition identified our polling station as one of those whose entire results should be annulled by the Honourable Court on grounds stated in the said petition”.

Applicants Unmasked

Strangely, the applicants who are coming from different regions of the country have the same averments in their affidavits in support of the motions for joinder and they also have the same addresses as group members.

The first group (10 individuals) to file the motion has one Dusime David of Kaneshie Gadakope in the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region as deponent.

All the group members have a similar address and the deposition was made at Kasoa on February 23, 2013 before Commissioner of Oaths called ASP (Rtd) W.E. Domie and they cite B111204 as their polling station code.

In the case of the second group (10 individuals), the deponent is William Kofi Asante of Apeguso in the Asuagyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region on February, 28, 2013. The deposition was made before M.K Agbomadzi, a Commissioner of Oaths in Koforidua on February 28, 2013. They cite E011503 as their polling station code.

The third application (10 individuals) was deposed to by Simon A. Mumuni of Sogashei in the Sagnarigu Constituency in the Northern Region.

They cite H200903 as their polling station code and the application deposed to before a Commissioner of Oaths at the Tamale District Magistrate.

The next application is a group of seven people led by one Gameli Dosoo of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Constituency as the deponent.

They cite B110706 as their polling station and have ASP (Rtd) W.E. Domie as their Commissioner of Oaths.

As regards the fifth group of four individuals, one Patrick Kofi Mensah of Agavenya in the Yilo Krobo Constituency is the deponent.

They cite E04091 as their polling station code and the deposition is certified in Koforidua by M.K. Agbomadzi, a Commissioner of Oaths on February 28, 2013.