You haven’t been to court, how can you say they will rule against you – NDC MP tells his party

The Member of Parliament for Banda constituency in the Bono Region of Ghana, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim have urged members his of party, the National Democratic Congress(NDC) to face their fear in the country’s judicial service and resort to the court to address the party’s grievances with the Presidential elections.

NDC members expressed reservations over Supreme Court composition

Members of the party have expressed reservations over going to the court to seek redress following the party and its flag bearer’s decision not to accept the results of the Presidential elections declared by the Jean Mensa led Electoral Commission in the just ended December 7 elections.

Some have argued that the current composition of the court does not favour the party since the majority of the Judges in the Supreme Court, a court of competent jurisdiction with powers to oversee legal litigation associated with the Presidential elections were appointed by the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP).

Others, including the party’s Director of Legal Affairs, Abraham Amaliba has said that he would not advice the party to seek redress especially, with the Presidential elections due to earlier experience suffered at the court.

Let go to Court, Supreme Court Judges have their reputation to protect

However, speaking to the issues on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia programme on Friday, December 18, and monitored by GhanaPlus.com the MP indicated, the fear expressed by some members of the party was unfounded, irrespective, of who appointed the judges.

According to him, the judges had their integrity to protect in Ghana and beyond and that whatever judgment they make in the cause of their duty, whether good or bad would be in existence forever for posterity.

“Those people who are afraid that Nana Addo has packed the court so they are afraid should breathe a sigh of relief ….. Let go to the court so the world will know what really happened, the judges also have their reputation to protect, they will not be in Ghana’s court forever, some of them will want to pursue careers outside the country,” he said.

Be challenged by the composition of the Court

Mr Ahmed Ibrahim said the composition of the court should rather be a source of encouragement to the party to trust and test the country’s legal system to develop trust in others who were not natives of the land, investors most especially.

“So this is a challenge to all of us and if we don’t do it like that and we say that he had packed the court so even if we go court, we will lose, then it will mean that we Ghanaians don’t have trust in our own court, but if you Ghanaians don’t have trust in the court, how will the foreigner who is coming with his investment trust in the court,” he quizzed?.

“So let go and face it and when we go and face it and all of us do our part so we see the outcome of it. Let nobody say that we are afraid of court and if we go, they will rule against us, you haven’t been to court, how you can say they will rule against you” he added.

He explained going to court would not only test the country’s judicial system but would also help provide relevant information and outcomes for reforms for the country’s democracy citing the 2012 election petition as a test case.

Source: GhanaPlus.com