Sam Okudjeto’s theory on Election Petition is ‘sterile’, ‘unprogressive’ - Nana Ato Dadzie
A Lawyer and former Chief of Staff, Nana Ato Dadzie has lashed out at Mr Sam Okudjeto for stating that the petitioners, rather than the respondents, won the landmark Election Petition hearing by a 5-4 majority.
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Mr Okudjeto – a former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) – had, at a symposium organised by the Danquah Institute, affirmed that the Supreme Court should have declared Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his co-petitioners winners in the recently-concluded Presidential Election Petition.
Mr Okudjeto said his analysis of the judgement pointed to a 5-4 victory in favour of the petitioners.
“My reading of this judgement is the fact that it was 5-4 rather in favour of the petitioners.
“How did the President (Atuguba JSC) come by the statistics of giving this 6-3 which came to 5-4 which I have seen that to be 5-4, the other way round? I did not know how that came about,” he said.
Mr Okudjeto’s remarks have prompted condemnation from a section of the public, with the National Democratic Congress party (NDC) being the most vociferous critic.
Speaking on Joy FM and Multi TV’s Newsfile Saturday, Nana Ato Dadzie became the latest NDC member to criticise Mr Okudzeto, describing his comments as “sterile” and “unprogressive”.
“The judgement is clear,” he said, adding: “Nana Akufo-Addo, who was the first petitioner, has graciously accepted defeat.” According to Mr Dadzie, all the nine Supreme Court judges read and signed the final verdict and were therefore clear in their minds that the verdict was 5-4 in favour of the respondents.
He challenged Mr Okudjeto and others who share a similar view to either seek a review of the verdict at the Supreme Court or “keep quiet”.
He said insisting that the verdict was 5-4 in favour of the petitioners without attempting to prove this through a review could be tantamount to undermining the integrity of the Supreme Court.
Nana Ato Dadzie said after eight months of Election Petition hearing, it was time to bring closure to the matter. “People are tired”, he noted.
Mr Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, a panelist on the show, echoed Mr Dadzie’s remarks, saying the Election Petition verdict was “collectively appreciated by all the judges”.
“They definitely had no disagreement with the final verdict read by the presiding judge.”
“As at now, I think this country should live with the verdict as delivered by the Supreme Court, especially as the NPP has accepted the result,” he said.
Mr Baako, however, pointed out that the "analysis and critique" of the petition does not amount to undermining the supreme Court.
By Samuel K. Obour/Graphic.com.gh/Ghana