Statement: Applaud the Supreme Court and the parties

The Citizens Awake Forum (CAF) wish to congratulate the Supreme Court Judges, the Petitioners and the Respondents for the tolerance they exhibited throughout the 47 days hearing of evidences of the 2012 Presidential Election petition.

With the immeasurable patience which Ghanaians have exhibited before, during and after the 2012 general elections, the citizenry must also pat themselves in the back for respecting the rule of law.

Ghanaians have demonstrated that peace and harmony should be the Centre of attraction in the country and have remained calm even when some people were not happy with the declaration made by the chief returning officer, Dr. Afari-Gyan.

It must be stressed that the Supreme Court hearing had been very challenging. The parties involved, be it, the Petitioners or the Respondents from the onset were on the neck of each other.

The use of strong language to undermine each other was the order of the day. In some cases, spokespersons for the parties had to mislead the public on their reportage of the Supreme Court Hearing, to score some political points.

Even the media, whose task was to report nothing but the truth and remain unbiased, also joined the fray of misinforming the general public only to suit their whims and caprices.

More so, the judges were subjected to distractive criticisms which in effect were meant to dent their image.

In some instances, some of the judges were even tagged as associates to one political party or the other.

That aside, the judges in some circumstances had to sentence some recalcitrant commentators who were daring their powers. This sentence was as a result of the tensions which commentators were subjecting the country into.

That notwithstanding, the Supreme Court Judges were not shaken. They demonstrated their supremacy of the law.

One historic precedent that can never be forgotten was the live telecast of the Court proceedings. CAF would like to commend the Supreme Court for adopting the idea of telecasting the proceedings live for clarity.

We know that the Case has not ended, but with the kind of professionalism and tolerance exhibited by all the parties, Ghana’s democracy will be deepened at the end.

We also urge all parties not to relent on their pledge to ensure that the verdict of the Supreme Court is respected and accepted by all.

We say ayekoo to all.

Long live CAF!

Long live Ghana!

Signed!

Ernest Kojo Smith, convener of CAF

Samuel Kofi Agyepong (Adminstrator)

Lawyer Kwaku Osei Asare (Member)

Kent Mensah (Member)

Bismark Bebli (Member)

Rubin Ayisi