Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has called for prayers ahead of Supreme Court’s judgment on the election petition hearing.
He is warning, the declaration of commitment to peace by the petitioners and respondents is not enough. He wants Ghanaians to ask God to give the judges wisdom to be able to deliver a ruling that is based on truth and fact.
Mr. Kufuor’s call comes a day after Justice Atuguba announced an end to “the battle of evidence” in the hearing of a 46-day Election Petition filed by three Petitioners- New Patriotic Party’s Presidential candidate Nana Akuffo Addo, his running mate, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and NPP chairman Jake Obetsibi Lamptey.
They are praying the court to overturn the declaration of John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress as winner of the 2012 elections. The case was yesterday adjourned to 31st July to enable lawyers for the parties submit their addresses.
But speaking to JOYNEWS’ Gifty Andoh Appiah, the former president said he is sure of a peaceful Ghana after the judgment.
“What I will say is that we should pray that the good Lord will touch the hearts and minds of our justices so they deliberate well and wisely and come out with a ruling based on the truth and fact” the former president said.
Mr. Kufuor therefore expects the NPP’s Nana Akuffo-Addo and President John Mahama to abide by their commitment to peace, after the judgement.
He called on party supporters and ordinary Ghanaians to follow whatever the leaders of the ruling NDC and opposition NPP direct to be done.
Meanwhile, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, the Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has stated that, the executive wielded immense powers that attracted the interests of several people.
He noted that a Petition to challenge the winner of a Presidential election naturally has immense implications for these private interests. Nonetheless, violence is not an option no matter the outcome of the judgment, he counseled.To this effect, the Dr. Akwetey announced that IDEG was organising a program to bring together stakeholders in the Election Petitions to deliberate on peace and implication of the Election Petition on Ghana’s governance systems.
Source: Myjoyonline
