Mahama’s EC comments undermine case – Gloria Akufo

A member of the legal team of the petitioners challenging the results of the December 2012 presidential election at the Supreme Court, Gloria Akufo, has raised concerns over President John Mahama’s adulation of the performance of the Electoral Commission in the 2012 general election.

According to her, the President “undermined the proceedings in court because these are issues that are pending in court — whether or not the elections were valid. To commend the EC is predetermining the issue before the Supreme Court”.

Madam Akufo said the comments by the President were not only improper but also in contempt of the Supreme Court hearing the presidential election petition.

 “I have no problem with the President commending the EC for what it did in the past before 2012. My concern is about the 2012 elections, of which the presidential election is being challenged in court.

“The subject matter is about certain irregularities and malpractices that took place in Election 2012. Those raise serious issues not only about the credibility of the elections but also the competence of the EC,” she noted.

Madam Akufo added that since the President's election was being challenged in court, his use of the State of the Nation Address platform to commend the EC was "very wrong”.

“When a matter is pending in court, you shall not make pronouncements that will tend to predetermine the matter,” she opined.