How the Supreme Court Judges may vote in the election petition before them. Prof.George Ayittey, President of Free Africa Foundation argues that a re-vote is the most satisfactory for the country. Here is why: "Thus, by elimination, Decision 4 seems to be the most satisfactory of them all. By this decision, the SC would be saying that, given the incontrovertible evidence produced, it believes that both the presidential and parliamentary elections were so marred by “clerical errors” that a re-vote in a year’s time is necessary. Such a decision has the following merits: 1. It is a “bold” decision which lies outside the constitutional box but it is also “face-saving” decision – a compromise – all can live with. The NPP can claim “victory” because its petition was seriously “looked into.” The EC can claim it made “clerical errors” and to err is human. The NDC keeps the presidency for a year and the SC comes out smelling like a rose for being independent. 2. It will be good for the economy because it removes the uncertainty hanging over the country. 3. Above all, it will be good for the country because it gives the country an opportunity to fix a defective electoral commission we have had problems with since its inception in 1992. There is widespread suspicion that the EC is not independent and Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Djan is a Rawlings protégé. It may be recalled that the NPP boycotted the parliamentary elections in 1992, amid allegations that the voter’s register was inflated with over 1 million ghost names. Similar allegations were made in 1996 about a bloated register (with 2 million fictitious names), voter intimidation by “macho-men” and Volta “World Bank.” Time and again, there has been high tension in the country each time Ghana votes, amid incessant allegations of fraud. A re-vote should give the country an opportunity to clean up the electoral commission once and for all and make it more transparent, independent for Ghanaians to believe in." However, Charles Kwaku Amoo-Asante, Anti-Corruption and Pro-Growth and Development Activist disagrees and argues" --A revote of both Presidential and Parliamentary elections amounts to a twisted logic with a toxic conclusion. It is not a bold decision. It is a bold and reckless mistake! It is a decision that is outside the law and does no good to anyone but creates dangerous precedent and mayhem. It is an irresponsible suggestion. Additionally, a revote decision will increase uncertainty in the country and throw the economy into a tailspin and not be in the supreme interest of the country. Ghana is not looking for a face-saving solution that makes the EC smell good. On the contrary Ghana is looking for a verdict which says enough is enough, a verdict that lays a foundation for a new era in our politics. A new era devoid of political corruption, a new era driven by reason, justice, equity and governance where leaders are elected by the people under a free and fair election. Also, using the figures of the contested elections which gave Mahama a razor thin victory as the basis to indicate that the nation is split in the middle is flawed because the recalculated results based on the petition gives Nana Addo a landslide victory of 60% to 39% which was stolen from him." Continue reading at ayittey1.tumblr/post/56232494991/a-bold-decision-by-ghanas-supreme-court-two
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 04:50:02 +0000