The Supreme Court of Ghana on Monday, 7 November unanimously upheld a High Court ruling that ordered the Electoral Commission to allow Dr Papa Kwesi of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) to correct mistakes he made on his nomination forms for which reason he was disqualified.
The apex court also ruled that all other disqualified aspirants be given the chance to correct mistakes they made while all cases at the High Court in connection with the disqualifications be discontinued.
Below is the Supreme Court’s judgment:
Upon reading the affidavits and statement of cases by the applicant and interested party respectively;
Upon hearing Thaddeus Sory with him Sean Opoku, Sanya Anita Morrison and Reindof Twumasi Ankrah counsel for the applicant and Ayikoi Otoo with him Gary Nimako Marfo, Felix Ograh, Ofosu Appiah, Naa Djama Ayikoi Otoo and Barbara Brown Counsel for the interested party;
It is hereby ordered that: –
The applicant extends the nomination period from today Monday, 7th November to the close of working day of Tuesday 8th November .
The applicant should invite the interested party and all the presidential candidates who were able submit their nomination papers by the close of the nomination day on 30 September 2016 and were disqualified without a hearing and give them hearing within the extended period.
In the appropriate cases, to afford candidates, the opportunity to comply with regulation 9 (2) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 94).
Consequent to the above directives, we find it necessary and expedient to make a further order to stay all court proceedings pending in the various High Courts against the applicant by some of the disqualified presidential candidates on the same issue of having been denied a hearing to enable the EC to carry out its mandate in line with these orders.
Wherefore we accordingly stay all such proceedings in the High Courts.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
