No judge may be left to sit on the NPP petition if...- Law Lecturer

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Created on Thursday, 10 January 2013 00:00

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No judge may be left to sit on the NPP petition if...- Law Lecturer

A senior Law lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), has cautioned the NPP and NDC to be careful of their actions regarding the constitution of the Supreme Court panel, hearing the NDC's application to be joined as a respondent to the NPP's petition challenging the outcome of the December 7 polls.

Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi stated that if the court is to investigate the relationships of all the justices of the Supreme Court and ask them to recuse themselves, it is likely that there would not be any judge left to sit on the NPP's petition since all the justices may have one form of interest or the other, as far as the case is concerned.

Lawyers for the Presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, his running-mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and party Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, who petitioning the Court to nullify the declaration of John Mahama as winner of the December polls, at the hearing of the NDC's application, raised objections to the panel sitting on the case.

The petitioners are opposing the NDC's application and raised a preliminary objection to one of the justices whom they didn't name in open court.

Although the petitioners are tight-lipped on the identity of the judge they want removed from the panel, it is believed that Justice William Atuguba, whose nephew, Dr. Raymond Atuguba, was recently appointed by President Mahama as Executive Secretary to the president, is the judge whose membership of the panel is being objected to.

Mr. Abotsi cautioned that the path the NPP had taken could further drag the issue unnecessarily, since there is likely to be counter applications filed by the NDC asking that certain judges be removed from the panel.

A member of the NDC’s legal team, Abraham Amaliba speaking to Joy News called on the Supreme Court to stamp its authority and not tolerate the NPP’s calls for a reconstitution of the panel of judges sitting on the petition.

Mr. Amaliba said if the NPP further pushes their call for the reconstitution, the NDC will equally raise similar issues with the remainder of judges since they are aware of some of the judges who are related to stalwarts of the NPP.

From: Richard Nii Abbey/Myjoyonline.com