You may not achieve reversal of 2020 election outcome, Manteaw tells NDC
ISODEC boss, Dr Steve Manteaw, says the NDC may not be able to overturn the results of the elections in court but can win the sympathy of Ghanaians
Dr Steve Manteaw, Policy Analyst with the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), has stated that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) may not achieve reversal of the outcome of the 2020 election results.
According to Dr Manteaw, he is basing his argument on what he describes as purposive interpretation of the law.
He, however, believes the NDC will win the sympathy of Ghanaians if they are able to prove their case in the law court.
In a Facebook post, Dr Manteaw wrote: “The NDC should note: Because of the purposive interpretation of law, they may not achieve a reversal of the 2020 electoral outcome. They will however, win the sympathy of Ghanaians if they’re able to prove their case. #managingexpectation.”
His comment comes as the largest opposition party heads to court to challenge the outcome of the general polls.
“Flawed election”
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the weekend served notice it will present its petition to the court on Wednesday 30 December to challenge the outcome of Election 2020.
A member of the legal team of the largest opposition party, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, said the party has a case and will resort to the court for redress.
“We’ll go to court. We’ve made that clear. Certainly, by Wednesday, all these matters would be placed before the court,” Dafeamekpor said.
“We’re saying Electoral Commission should comply with the law. If you comply with the law and we emerge victorious that is fine. But you do not comply with the law and announce another candidate as the victor. No,” he said on news analysis programme, Newsfile, on Accra-based Joy FM.
The decision by the opposition NDC is in line with the mandated 21 days given under electoral laws for any aggrieved party in the election to file a legal challenge of the process.
The Declaration
The chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, on 9 December, declared Akufo-Addo the winner of the 2020 presidential elections, after defeating Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.
Akufo-Addo won by 51.59% of the total votes cast as against Mahama’s 6,214,889 representing 47.36%. Akufo-Addo polled a total of 6,70,413 votes out of the total votes of 14, 434, 574.
Crowds of jubilant supporters took to the streets in Accra and other parts of the nation to celebrate the victory of the 76-year-old New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader.
Akufo-Addo defeated John Mahama by 53.8% to 44.4% in the 2012 election.
Ghana’s elections have been historically close, with Mahama narrowly winning against Akufo-Addo in 2012 with 50.7%. In that elections, Akufo-Addo unsuccessfully challenged Mahama’s victory in the courts.
However, the minority NDC has since rejected the 2020 results, describing the election as full of irregularities in some parts of the country.
Mahama said the party is exploring all legal means to overturn the “flawed” election.
Fred Dzakpata
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