Let’s have confidence in Supreme Court’s ability - James Bomfeh

According to a press release, Mr Bomfeh declared “I want us all to have absolute confidence in the impartiality of our Supreme Court judges, they have seen it all and they know exactly what is at stake, they know the implications of a ruling that does not consider the future of our democracy and restore confidence in our elections”, said Mr Bomfeh.

According to Mr Bomfeh, the Supreme Court was at the helm of affairs in the landmark case of the NPP vs. GBC, which ensured that the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, gave equal airtime and coverage to both incumbent and opposition parties during elections and associated campaigns.

Again, he said, the Supreme Court was in the thick of affairs in another landmark ruling involving the NPP vs. IGP and ruled for the right to demonstrate.

In Mr Bomfeh’s view, Ghana’s democracy would not have been where it is today “without our men and women of the Judiciary.”

“We have come to yet another juncture in our political dispensation where we need our honourable judges to rescue our democracy and we trust they will do just that”, Mr Bomfeh assured the excited audience. “And trust the  Supreme Court judges to ensure Ghana does not slip into a one party state as we are currently tending by the 2012 elections results”, he added.

Reacting to some comments made by some NPP sympathisers on the LMVCA and other platforms suggesting the matter in court was an NPP affair, “I get disappointed at some of the comments by some NPP members when they speak about the election petition, the implications of the court’s ruling on this matter will be very far reaching to affect the entire country, it will affect Ghanaians and the conduct of all future elections, it should therefore not be seen as any individual or political party’s local matter ”, Mr Bomfeh retorted.

Speaking on other range of issues, he also argued on why the case cannot be wrong. “There are rules set to govern the conduct of every credible election if fairness and transparency will matter in the outcome”.

He asserted “how else does anyone feeling aggrieved on the conduct and outcome of an election seek legitimate redress if not through the courts; “it is a constitutional matter and the framers have adequately provided for such a redress, so let no one tell us that adhering to the constitution is wrong and rather makes one a man fermenting violence”.   

Other notable speakers at the event who made similar points were Mr Atik Mohammed, a policy analyst with the PNC  said; “without the justice from the Supreme Court, it will be difficult and indeed impossible for us to trust our elections as a means to changing a government”.

Mr Abu Ramadan, a youth organiser also of the PNC, spoke against attempts by LMVCA detractors to misrepresent the group.

“Our detractors are bent on misrepresenting us to the Ghanaian public but we will not be deterred, our message is very simple, it is as clear as our focus, we want justice from the Supreme Court and we want reforms at the EC”, he explained to the audience.

When it was the turn of Mr Ernest Owusu Bempah, a deputy communications director of the NDP to mount the platform, the anxious audience got excited and responded with cheers to his presentation.

He charged the audience to be strong in their resolution to demand nothing short of justice from the Supreme Court. “They will do anything to shake our resolution including intimidate us by their abuse of power but stand firm and do not be moved”, the NDP man admonished the gathering.

He said “the result of the 2012 election is adverse, it will only destroy our society if it is allowed to stay”.

For his part, Mr Sammy Awuku, a deputy communications director of the NPP, assured the expectant audience of the weight of evidence in court.

“The petitioners have provided even further and better particulars than the respondents had asked for by providing particulars on irregularities at 11,916 polling stations”, Mr Awuku said.

 “Ghana will definitely have a new leader when the Supreme Court finally rules for justice”, Sammy Awuku added