Supreme Court dismisses Mahama's review application

The Supreme Court has dismissed former President John Dramani Mahama's application which was asking the court to review its decision that disallowed him from asking the Electoral Commission (EC) 12 questions in the 2020 presidential election petition.

The court in its ruling Thursday [January 28, 2021] said the applicant had not met the threshold to apply for review and was subsequently dismissed.

Two additional justices, Justice Imoro Tanko and Justice Henrietta Mensah Bonsu were added to the earlier seven-member panel for the review application.

The seven other justices on the panel hearing the petition to determine whether or not President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is the validly elected President of Ghana are the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, Justice Yaw Apau, Justice Samuel Kofi Marful-Sau, Justice Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, Justice Nene A. O. Amegatcher, Justice Gertrude Torkonoo and Justice Mariama Owusu

The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, is challenging the declaration of President Akufo-Addo as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Moot applications struck out

Earlier Thursday morning, the Supreme Court struck out two separate applications by Mr Mahama and the Electoral Commission (EC).

The applications included stay of proceedings filed by Mr Mahama and an abridgment of time filed by the EC which urged the court to hear the petitioner's review application on Tuesday January 26, rather than January 28 which was set by the court to hear the application for review.

At the hearing Thursday, counsels for Mr Mahama and the EC withdrew their applications and were accordingly dismissed by the seven-member panel of the apex court before it enhanced its panel to nine in order to hear some motions filed by the petitioner in respect of the review.

The motion that was filed in respect to this was also dismissed.

Additional ground of review

The Supreme Court also dismissed an application by Mr Mahama which sought to file an additional ground of review, replace paragraph 28 of the original statement of case and file a supplement of the statement of case.

Below is a LIVE video from the Supreme Court

more to follow...