Supreme Court to hear EC vs PPP on Friday
The Supreme Court will on Friday hear an application by the Electoral Commission (EC) challenging the judgement of the High Court that overturned the commission’s disqualification of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom as a presidential candidate in the December polls.
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This was after the EC’s request for the court to set an early date for the case was granted by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
This means that the hearing which was slated for next week would now be heard on Friday.
The sole Judge, Mr Justice Gabriel Pwamang therefore ordered lawyers for the EC and PPP to file their statement of cases by noon on Thursday.
The EC had gone to the highest court of the land to seek clarity following the decision of the High Court quashing the commission’s decision to disqualify the PPP’s Presidential Candidate from the Presidential race on December 7.
The EC had rejected Dr Nduom’s nomination claiming the number of subscribers to his forms did not meet the requirements of Regulation 7 (2) (b) of CI 94, the law governing, the conduct of the 2016 elections].
The commission said one of his subscribers endorsed the form with different signatures in both portions of the nomination form, raising questions as to the legitimacy of one or both signatures.
The PPP however argued that the EC did not give them the opportunity to correct the errors on the nomination forms hence proceeded to the High Court to contest the matter.
The High Court presided over by Mr Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, on October 28 this year, ordered the EC to give the PPP the opportunity to amend anomalies on the nomination forms of the party"s flag bearer for him to re-submit.
The EC in its statement on Monday, October 31, dissented the judgment, saying that presidential candidates must ensure the accuracy of information provided to public institutions and must take full responsibility thereof.
At the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Mr Thaddeus Sory who represented the EC stated that they were before the court on two main issues.
According to him the issues related to dates for parties in the case to file their statement of cases and abridgment of time for expeditious hearing.
Nii Ayikoi Otoo, counsel for the PPP noted that under rules, he had 14 days to file statement of case but would comply to file his statement of case.
The sole judge, expressed the court"s readiness to hear the case as a matter of urgency.