For about two weeks now, there has been the talk of Minority Leader, Hon. Afenyo-Markin seeking interpretation at the Supreme Court of Article 97 (1) (g and h) of Ghana’s Constitution. When you explain it to the NPP folks, then they ask you if is it now or in the future. They ask as if there is now or future written in the said article but you didn’t see it.
So if a client of Hon. Afenyo-Markin had asked him to explain Article 97 (1) (g and h) to him, would he run to the Supreme Court for interpretation? This should tell Ghanaians that Hon. Afenyo-Markin went to the Supreme Court for all the reasons except interpretation. Because of the actions of the Minority Leader, the Supreme Court exposed itself as a wing of the NPP, and now Parliament is closed down.
The NDC has sent notice that they will not go to court after the 2024 elections. They said every discrepancy will be settled at the polling stations and the results declared before everybody goes home. The million dollar question is, what if the NPP rather goes to court?
The Chief Justice has said that political parties and stakeholders should adhere strictly to procedures and that there would be consequences if they fail to do so. This is a red flag right there. I mean how can NDC or anybody ensure that the EC adheres STRICTLY to procedures? Clearly, the Chief Justice is looking for ways and means to cause unnecessary trouble in December.
This is what is going to happen. Before December 10, the EC is going to announce that John Mahama is the President-elect and an NDC majority in Parliament. An NPP, claiming to be a concerned citizen will run to the Supreme Court and seek interpretation of a STRICTLY PROCEDURE. The Supreme Court within an hour or two, will ask the EC to stay its execution until the substantive case is heard. That will mean the announcement by the EC will not matter.
The Supreme Court will seek to do two things: Either they will seek to overturn the voice of the people through cooked legalities or they will allow the NPP to work the figures with the EC, to come up with new figures. To avoid all these nonsense, NDC needs to win big on December 7, but that is not guaranteed. We are dealing with the NPP, whose leader, Nana Addo, doesn’t know the law. We don’t have to be complacent and we don’t have to underestimate any word they say.
NDC needs to assume that we will win small, so we will work extra harder to win big. That is the only way we can stop all this Chief Justice’s “strictly procedure” nonsense. I am just a messenger.
Vote for Number 8, and
Vote for the Umbrella.
Aba no, Mahama afa.
Dr. Lawrence is the Founder of the Diaspora Progressive Movement in USA.
