Court dismisses application to stop Akufo-Addo from appointing new EC boss

The Supreme Court has dismissed an interlocutory application that sought to stop President Akufo-Addo from appointing a new Chairperson for the Electoral Commission (EC).

The applicant, Fafali Nyonator, filed the application after marching to the court with a case that the removal of former EC Chairperson, Mrs Charlotte Osei, was unlawful.

According to her, the Chief Justice committee that recommended the removal of Mrs Osei violated the 1992 Constitution.

She, therefore, wanted the court to halt the President from appointing a new EC Chair until the final determination of the substantive case.

The applicant particularly wanted the court to stop the President from going ahead with the process that would confirm the appointment of Mrs Jean Mensa as the new EC Chair.

But in a ruling Tuesday July 31, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the interlocutory application.

The court held that the application was not necessary because the court had the power to nullify the appointment of Mrs Jean Mensa if the substantive case succeeds.

Such powers, the court, held was grounded in Article 2 clause 2 of the 1992 Constitution.

The seven-member was presided over by Mr Justice Julius Ansah , with Mr Jones Doste, Mr Justice Anin Yeboah , Mr Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Mr Justice Sule Gbadegbe, Mrs Justice Vida Akoto Bamfo and Mr Justice Yaw Appau, as the other members.