Election Petition: It’ll be a dent on EC’s image if they evade cross-examination – Franklin Cudjoe

Franklin Cudjoe, the founding President and CEO of IMANI Africa has said if the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission succeeds in not subjecting herself to cross-examination in the ongoing Election Petition at the Supreme Court, it will be a major dent on the credibility of the Electoral Commission.

According to him, the ordinary Ghanaian will think that there will be some moral victory for John Dramani Mahama who is the Petitioner in the Election Petition.

“It will be a major dent to the EC's image if its lawyers succeed to have their own witness evade cross-examination. Many laypeople will think that moral victory will be the Petitioner if that happens. This is getting [more] interesting than I imagined,” Franklin Cudjoe wrote on his Facebook timeline. “Somehow, I think Charlotte [Osei, the former EC Chairperson] would have jumped at the opportunity to defend her work.”

Counsels for the first Respondent and second Respondent told the Supreme Court on Monday, February 8, that they do not intend to open their defence nor call witnesses.

Citing Order 36 Rule 43 and C.I 87 rule 3 (e) 5, lead counsel for the EC, Justin Amenuvor told the 7-member panel of judges that the EC was satisfied with proceedings so far and asked the court to make a determination on the petition before it.

But Tsatsu Tsikata disagreed, explaining that the request by the counsel for the 1st Respondent was not in line with Order 36 Rule 43 and CI 87 rule 3 (e) 5 as stated.