Election petition: Waxing lyrical doesn’t make Tsatsu repository of all knowledge - Pius Hadzide
-According to him, the conduct of the former president's lead counsel could endanger the country’s stability
-He believes Tsatsu Tsikata and his colleagues want to drag the court’s reputation in the mud because their case has fallen
-John Mahama petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election
Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in
A former Deputy Information Minister, Pius Hadzide, says Tsatsu Tsikata’s mastery of grammar does not mean the law is in his bosom.
In an interview monitored by YEN.com.gh on GHONE television on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.
Hadzide expressed disappointment in the venerable legal luminary’s choice of words in describing some of the rulings of the Supreme Court in the ongoing election petition trial.
Source: Facebook
“You can grant him his oratory skills, his mastery of grammar and all of that…he talks, wax lyrical…but that is not to suggest that the law is in his bosom and that he is the repository of all the knowledge in the world,” he stated.
According to him, the posture of the lead counsel for John Mahama, the petitioner in the trial is endangering “our collective stability.”
He, therefore, urged the legal team of the former president to not bring the bench down with them whilst they are going down because the case presented before the apex court is weak.
“The NDC has no case and by their conduct, they have established same,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the former president’s legal team is urging the disconsolate members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to have trust in the strength of the petition before the Supreme Court.
Speaking in a post-trial interview on Monday, February 22, 2021, after the dismissal of the former president’s review application, Sammy Gyamfi, who is one of the spokespersons for the legal team acknowledged the frustrations of the party’s crestfallen members.
“We understand and appreciate that and we are telling you don’t give up,” he stated. “We know what we are doing and we are doing this because of the love we have for Ghana, particularly that of the Petitioner.”
Mahama wants to reopen his case to subpoena the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, into the witness box for cross-examination.
But, the court dismissed that application.
The lawyers for the former president then applied for a review of that decision.
A nine-member panel of the Supreme Court Judges, however unanimously affirmed the ruling by the seven-member panel hearing the election petition.
The Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, said no provision in the constitution or statute shows that the EC boss can be subjected to different rules contrary to established rules of procedure and settled practice.
The EC boss, he said is not a party to the suit, and therefore, whether or not to testify was not her decision but that of the commission.
“The review jurisdiction was not intended as a try on by a party after losing an appeal…nor is it an automatic misstep from appeal neither is it meant to resort to as an emotional reaction to an unfortunate or unfavourable judgment,” he stated.
The Court has set Thursday, March 4 as judgment day for the election petition case.
The NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama petitioned the Supreme Court to order a second round of the December 7, election.
According to him, the votes obtained by NPP’s candidate, President Nana Akufo-Addo, and himself in the December 7, election as declared by the EC Chair were not enough for a candidate to be declared the winner.
Enjoy reading our stories?
Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel!
Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!
Source: YEN.com.gh
