The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described “attempts” by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to incite the Supreme Court justices against its lawyers in the ongoing 2020 election petition as unfortunate.
“We consider this persistent conduct of [Minister-designate for Information], Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and [NPP Youth Organiser], Henry Nana Boakye, and their surrogates as unbecoming of professional colleagues who have sworn to protect the ethics of their respected profession over and above partisan considerations.
“The Supreme Court exists to do justice fairly and squarely to all citizens, irrespective of political colours, and to attempt to incite the court against our noble lawyers is to debase the court’s role and duty”, a statement issued in Accra yesterday by Kakra Essamuah, the party’s Director of Communications, said.
It is recalled that former Deputy Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, one of the spokespersons for lawyers of former President John Mahama, on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction with the refusal of the Supreme Court to allow the petitioner to re-open his case.
“These are all germane issues under the laws of Ghana and to reduce the petition to a single issue petition is rather unfortunate and it smacks of a predetermined agenda to rule against the petitioner in this matter,” he said.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah, reacting to the comment when he took his turn to address the media after the ruling, described Dr Ayine’s comments as scandalous and unfair to the apex court.
However, the NDC says the comments by Mr Nkrumah was uncalled for, hence “We accordingly condemn in no uncertain terms this unfortunate conduct of the NPP to demonise our counsel before the Supreme Court. The truth shall stand. The truth shall prevail.”
The statement accused NPP legal commentators in the media of taking inordinate delight in belittling and heaping insults on the counsel for former President Mahama and the NDC.
“These attacks are characterised by constantly offering misleading comments about our lawyers and the case in court,” the statement said.
Former President Mahama is at the Supreme Court to, among other things, annul the results of the December polls, as none of the candidates who contested the election obtained the required 50 per cent plus one constitutional threshold to be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
Mr Mahama is also asking the apex court for an order of injunction restraining Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from holding himself out as President-elect.
