Review processes leading to a collation of election results – Akoto Ampaw tells EC

Akoto Ampaw, lead counsel for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2020 Presidential Election Petition, has advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to review election results collation processes.

Speaking at Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) roundtable dubbed, “Presidential Election Petitions and their Impact on Africa’s Democracy”, Lawyer Akoto Ampaw said:

“I believe that the EC itself and other stakeholders need a closer review of the actual processes and procedures that they took in arriving at the final collation of results in the 2020 elections. And to see whether there is a need for some reforms.”

“I can see quite clearly that there may be some reforms to the CI (Constitutional Instrument) 127; looking at it, I can see that from this experience. But I am saying that given the issues that were brought before the court, frankly speaking, the court had very little opportunity to make any recommendations for reforms,” he added.

Akoto Ampaw further stated that, if one had a case of this nature before the highest court, and the case raised substantial issues of facts, then one could expect that in coming out with a judgement, the Supreme Court apart from making a decision, would make recommendations based on some of the issues of facts that were raised in the course of the trial.

“But honestly, I am of the view that legally speaking, there was no case before the Supreme Court,” he stated.

He argues further that, where a substantive grievance was brought before the Court, even if the Court should rule against the petitioner, the Court might see the need to make recommendations.