EC cleared to pronounce Asutifi South election results

The Supreme Court has overturned a Sunyani High Court order restraining the Electoral Commission from declaring results of the Asutifi South parliamentary election.

The five-member panel of the Supreme Court, chaired by Mr Justice William Atuguba, with Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, Dr. Justice Date Bah, Mrs Justice Rose Owusu and Mr Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as members also prohibited the High Court from further hearing the case.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Mr Yiadom-Boakye Boateng, brought the matter before a Sunyani High Court, days after the election in December, claiming there were irregularities in the conduct of the elections in the constituency.

But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Mr Collins Daudu, now Lands and Forestry Minister, filed preliminary objections at the Supreme Court in Accra, to discontinue further proceedings on the matter at the High Court on the grounds that it was immature for Mr Boateng to file the process.

The judge at the Sunyani high court however went ahead and heard the case.

Mr. Dauda then went to the Supreme Court to seek an order to quash the order of the Sunyani High Court judge to which the court unanimously gave approval of in its ruling on April 8 2009.

The Electoral Commission therefore has the green light to declare the results of the election.

The court also awarded a cost of GH¢1,000 against Mr Boateng.

“If this decision had been the otherwise, what this country will be into is that in the process of elections, any candidate fearing losing the elections will head to the High Court, apply for an injunction restraining the Electoral Commission from declaring results,” he stressed.

By: citifmonline.com