Panel shoots down IEA appeal for no jubilation after election petition ruling

The Panel on Joy FM and Multi TV news analysis Programme Newsfile has unanimously rejected an appeal by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for victors in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition not to jubilate after the verdict by the Supreme Court.

The IEA at a round table discussion with political parties made the recommendation for the political party supporters to refrain from any form of jubilation once the verdict is given by the judges of the Supreme Court.

The one-day discussion was on the theme: “Post-Electoral Dispute Resolution – Fostering Peace, National Cohesion and Reconciliation after Supreme Court Ruling.”

They also recommended that: “The security agencies should be prepared to secure Ghana's safety and assert their authority and maintain peace, law and order after the court ruling.”

Even though the Newsfile panel largely agrees that the recommendation was well intended they believe it is highly not practicable to ask victors not to jubilate after ruling has been handed.

A former Attorney General under the Kufuor administration, Ayikoi Otoo said it will be difficult to execute that recommendation.

He said even the Supreme Court judges who warned spectators in the court not to clap and jeer during proceedings found themselves laughing at some point during the hearing.

A legal practitioner Godwin Adawuni called on the parties to start educating and preparing the minds of their supporters for victory or defeat.

He said the decision to go court is an intrinsic path of non violence and the supporters must be made to understand that.

He however stated it will be difficult to ask either party not to jubilate after the verdict has been declared.

A member of the NDC legal team Nana Ato Dadzie doubted the possibility of chaos after declaration by the Supreme Court.

He said after five elections, the system is fairly strong and will be able to accommodate the pressures that will come with the declaration by the Supreme Court. He said jubilations cannot be stopped.

Even though he agreed largely with the views shared by his colleagues on the panel, Editor of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper Kweku Baako Jnr said Ghana's democracy has indeed matured but the police must be alert avert a any violence in the spontaneous celebration by the winning party.