Mad rush by political parties to meet new Supreme Court deadline

Political parties who were aggrieved by the Electoral Commissions’ disqualification are rushing to the offices of the Electoral Commission to collect their nomination forms for correction and resubmission before the new window of opportunity given by the Supreme Court closes by 5pm on November 8, 2016.

Within an hour of the court’s order, the Peoples National Convention (PNC) the All Peoples Congress (APC) the Independent Peoples Party (IPP) and the Ghana Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) have arrived at the party’s offices to pick the forms.

Following this order by the Supreme Court to the EC, the parties involved are rushing to the offices of the Supreme Court to collect their forms, correct the irregularity and submit them before the deadline.

The Supreme Court also ordered that all cases regarding the disqualification which are being heard at the High Court, should be suspended for the parties to make their corrections.

The National Democratic Party (NDP), Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the Independent Peoples Party (IPP) have their cases pending at the High court but the Supreme Court’s decision now means they have to adjourn those cases indefinitely taking notice of the order by the Superior Court.

The Electoral Commission disqualified some 12 presidential candidates out of which five dragged the EC to court for the courts to overturn the decision of the EC.

Two parties PPP and APC won their case against the EC. It is however unclear whether all the other disqualified political parties would be interested in going for their nomination forms to rectify their mistakes.