Supreme Court Orders EC To extend Nomination For Disqualified Candidates

The Supreme Court of Ghana in a unanimous decision has ordered the Electoral Commission to give all disqualified presidential aspirants a hearing.

The court in its ruling on Monday ordered the EC to extend the nomination period from today, Monday to tomorrow, Tuesday.

The court also ruled that all the cases at High Court should be stayed.

The order takes effect immediately.

The Supreme Court’s ruling today (Monday) brings to a close the controversy surrounding the disqualification of presidential aspirants in the December 7, 2016 election.

Although the court gave its judgment on a single case involving the legality or otherwise of the disqualification of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom as a presidential candidate, the court’s decision automatically affect other disqualified aspirants.

The High Court, in two separate decisions, has directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to allow Dr. Nduom and Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC) to correct anomalies on their nomination papers.

The High Court decision in favour of Dr. Nduom was delivered on October 28, 2016, while that of Mr. Ayariga was delivered last Friday. 

Dissatisfied with the decisions of the High Court, the EC proceeded to the Supreme Court, urging the court to quash the High Court’s order to the EC to allow Dr Nduom to correct anomalies on his nomination forms, and hoping to bring closure to the five other lawsuits contesting the disqualification of other presidential aspirants. 

Explaining the judgment of the seven-member panel of Justices,  the presiding Justice, Sophia Adinyira, said their decision was to enable the EC give hearing to all parties involved in the legal tussle over their disqualification, due to limited time left for the election to be held. 



GBC