Former Attorney General, Nii Ayikoi Otoo, has urged the public not to read political meaning into the Supreme Court ruling requesting the Assin North MP to stop holding office as a lawmaker.
Commenting on claims that the ruling was biased due to the 5-2 vote count, he disagreed with such assertions and indicated that the justices were carrying out their mandate. He noted that there is no way the judges will play politics with justice in such a case.
“Judges are not there to waiver on justice; That, if I give five in favor of NPP, then I am bound to give another 1 or 3 in favor of the NDC. They deal with the facts, apply the law and do that according to their counsel because they have taken an oath called the Judicial Oath to give justice to all manner of persons without fear or favor, attraction or ill-will. I don’t see why we should read any political meaning into it.”
Nii Ayikoi Otoo
Touching on allegation by the NDC that the ruling doesn’t represent the truth, Ayikoi Otoo explained that, it does since the case in question is an interlocutory matter.
“What we are hearing now is an interlocutory matter. An interlocutory matter is one that an order is raised pending the final determination of the state. Everybody knows when we talk of challenging the election of an individual, the proper court to go is the High Court. Now, the High Court had already determined the matter and they had declared that as at the time the gentleman filed his nomination papers, he was not qualified and therefore they have set aside his election.”
Nii Ayikoi Otoo
According to Ayikoi Otoo, the NDC at a point thought that there was some matter of interpretation in the case concerning the Assin North MP and as a result took the matter of interpretation to the Supreme Court. “But that does not determine whether or not he is still an MP because that matter has already been decided by the Cape Coast High Court and the Supreme court has granted the interlocutory. I think it is proper and prime.”
Ruling not in Assin North’s interest
Meanwhile, a member of the NDC legal team, Baba Jamal indicated that the ruling by Supreme court is not in the interest of the Assin North Constituency. According to him, although the Supreme Court has given its ruling, the party vehemently disagrees with it’s position.
Baba Jamal described the ruling as a “sad” one indicating that Assin North is not going to have a representation in Parliament for as long as this case lasts. He added that the situation is sad because there is precedence in this country.
“We all remember the case of Ayawaso West Wougon where the lady was allowed to stay in Parliament until the final day of the declaration of the case. So, I thought that the Supreme Court would consider that situation and allow a representation. This is a representation matter. The people have voted for a person and so they deserve a representation in Parliament. So, we thought that when the case is on, we could still have a representation in Parliament.”
Baba Jamal
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