POLITICS

Mahama’s counsel files closing argument for election petition

The legal counsel for the National Democratic Congress flagbearer in the 2020 polls, John Mahama, has filed closing arguments in the election petition ahead of the March 4 judgement.

Mahama’s counsel maintains that the petition is founded on the “nullity” of the declaration of election results made by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).

Mr. Mahama’s lawyers have argued that the declaration of the results was fraught with errors, some of which the EC admitted.

They insist that “fairness and reasonableness requirements were not being met.”

The reliefs Mr. Mahama is seeking are:

(a) A declaration that Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa, Chairperson of 1St Respondent and the Returning Officer for the Presidential Elections held on 7th December 2020 was in breach of Article 63(3) of the 1992 Constitution in the declaration she made on 9th December 2020 in respect of the Presidential Election that was held on 7th December 2020;

(b) A declaration that, based on the data contained in the declaration made by Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa, Chairperson of 1St Respondent and the Returning Officer for the Presidential Elections held on 7th December 2020, no candidate satisfied the requirement of Article 63(3) of the 1992 Constitution to be declared President-elect;

(c) A declaration that the purported declaration made on 9th December 2020 ‘of the results of the Presidential Election by Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa, Chairperson of 1st Respondent and the Returning Officer for the Presidential Elections held on 7th December 2020 is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever;

(d) An order annulling the Declaration of President-Elect Instrument, 2020 (C.1. 135) dated 9th December 2020, issued under the hand of Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensa, Chairperson of 1st Respondent and the Returning Officer for the Presidential Elections held 7th December 2020 and gazetted on loth December, 2020;

(e) An order of injunction restraining the 2nd Respondent from holding himself out as President-elect;

f) An order of mandatory injunction directing the 1st Respondent to proceed to conduct a second election with Petitioner and 2nd Respondent as the candidates as required under Articles 63(4) and (5) of the 1992 Constitution.

It is still unclear whether the court will grant a day for oral submissions of the closing addresses.

Mr. Mahama is in court after he and his party, the National Democratic Congress, rejected the results of the 2020 presidential polls.

He maintains that President Akufo-Addo failed to obtain the requisite number of votes to be declared the winner.

He is thus asking the Supreme Court to among other things declare the 2020 presidential polls null and void and further order the Electoral Commission to conduct a re-run of the election between himself and President Akufo-Addo.

 

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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