A former Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, has suggested that election petitions that do not succeed should attract sanctions.
That, he said, was to prevent election petitions from becoming a ‘wanton’ fashion. He said it appeared that some candidates rushed to court with election petitions alleging manipulation of results primarily to placate their financiers and supporters. That, Dr Afari-Gyan said was to ensure that they (candidates) were given another chance.
“The rush can cause undeserved injury to the reputation of the Electoral Commission (EC) and unnecessary intimidation of the courts, the longest serving Chairman of the commission said and cited Nigeria where there were 1,000 petitions before the courts after the 2023 elections. But reacting to his comment, the director of elections, NPP Evans Nimako has said that he does not side with the former EC Chairperson because as a competent Court of Jurisdiction, they have their own way of meted out sanctions to anybody who comes the court without evidence and wastes everybody’s time, he is of the view that such measures he thinks is already in place.
He further said that it is true that some political parties come to court without evidence; the clear indication is what happened at the 2020 elections where the opposition NDC came to court without evidence. So the onus lies in the court to whether throw out your case when they deem it fit not worthy hence his decision to disagree with Dr. Afari Gyan “He stated.
Nana Appiah-Kubi/Ahotoronline.com
