Tsatsu's comments will inform decision to go for a review - NPP

NPP Chairman says the party will seek a review of the election petition case at the Supreme Court if it finds that the ruling was influenced by political affiliations as a renowned lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata, has alleged affected Justice Annin-Yeboah.

In an exclusive interview with Joy News, Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey says the party is not bound to stick to an earlier decision it made during a National Council meeting held days before the landmark ruling. In that meeting, they decided not to seek a review of the decision if it went against them.


But Tsatsu Tsikata, counsel for the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), has come under fire after he accused one of the judges, Justice Annin-Yeboah, of allowing political affiliations to cloud his judgement. His comments has been roundly condemned by all, including the National Peace Council.


But the opposition New Patriotic Party says it is examining the "unfortunate" comments by Tsatsu Tsikata with "a sharp eye". The party chairman says if the judgment was not a legal opinion, but a political one, then they will take up a review seriously.


"We will be very bad leaders if we did not take heed and say to our people that we will examine what those bells of alarm are doing... I think Tsatsu Tsikata's comments were really very unfortunate because of the can of worms it has opened", Jake said.

An application for review is open to the NPP after an election petition it filed was dismissed by a nine-member panel of judges. The NPP was trying to use the courts to unseat President John Mahama of the NDC, and get their candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo declared the winner after the party alleged fraud in the 2012 presidential polls.


But Kingsley Yeboah, a lawyer, believes a review of the judgement will fail if the party uses Tsikata's comments as the only basis. He said the only basis ought to be a legal view.


"You cannot find from the judgment that they [judges] have been bias", he said


The Accra-based lawyer said on Joy News, it will be appropriate for the NPP to refer the under-fire lawyer to the General Legal Council or the Ghana Bar Association for disciplinary action if the party wants punitive measures taken against Tsatsu Tsikata.