Election Petition: Court sets August 29 as Judgment Day

The Supreme Court hearing the petition challenging the election of President John Dramani Mahama has set August 29, 2013 as the day for judgment.

This was announced in Court on Wednesday August 14, after the nine-member panel of Judges, presided over by Justice William Atuguba, sought clarification from counsel for petitioners and respondents, at the court's final hearing of the petition.

The Supreme Court has for eight months been hearing a petition from Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, first petitioner and candidate in the 2012 presidential election, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, second petitioner and vice presidential candidate in the same election and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, party chairman and third petitioner.

The three men through their team of lawyers led by Philip Addison have been praying the Supreme Court to overturn the Presidency of John Mahama, the first respondent, as declared by Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan and the Electoral Commission, the second respondent.

The third respondent - National Democratic Congress (NDC) - subsequently filed a suit to be a party to the case, a request which was granted by the Court although it was met with a fierce objection by the petitioners' lawyers.

The petitioners are claiming that the true result of the 2012 presidential election, after it has been cured of all irregularities, would see Nana Akufo-Addo earning 59.55%, while John Mahama obtains 39.17% of valid votes cast.

The petitioners are therefore praying the Court to declare that John Mahama was not validly elected as President and hence, declare Nana Akufo-Addo as the validly elected president of the Republic - a ruling the Court will make on August 29.