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Ghana's Election Petition: A Matter Of Justice Or Peace?

Feature Article Ghana's Election Petition: A Matter Of Justice Or Peace?
AUG 9, 2013 LISTEN

Two voices are yelling!!!! One demanding justice and the other peace. Realistically, these appear to be the two most dominant opinions across the political divide even among the clergy. However missing, are those demanding absolute and real justice that brings peace. Peace is never the absence of WAR. Justice is never the quality of being fair or just, JUSTICE is simply the enforcement of LAW.

Ghana's Supreme Court isn't a church nor mosque, neither is it the United Nations headquarters for peace. It has only one responsibility, enforcement of the LAW. Ghana's constitution wasn't made to be considered, it was made to be enforced.

It was a court of Ghana that sentenced Atta Ayi a notorious criminal to prison and there was peace in Ghana. It was a court of Ghana that ruled against a petition by certain members of the NDC to declare Ex Prez Mills the winner of the 2004 election after the EC declared Kufuor winner, yet the was peace in Ghana.

It was a court of Ghana that sentenced Tsatsu Tsikata, Dan Abodakpi, Victor Selormey, Kwame Pianim, Kweku Baako, Haruna Attah, Ken Kuranchie and Stephen Atubigah to prison yet there was peace in Ghana.

So why can't be peace in Ghana should the Supreme court declare Prez Mahama or Nana Addo as the legitimate winner of the 2012 presidential elections? It is totally pathetic, intellectually dishonest, morally bankrupt, legally disastrous and logically naive to compel and demand the Supreme court to issue a verdict on the basis of peace instead of justice.

After all, the same constitution that grants the chief justice the legal authority to swear in a president as declared by the EC also grants the supreme court legal powers to declare a winner.

Ghana is not ready to accommodate an illegitimate president for the purposes of peace. We need a legitimate president and the panel of judges must not only be bold, but enforce the law by telling us who really is the president of Ghana. Whether President Mahama or Nana Addo is declared winner that should be so because the law says so.

A president that we the people will feel that it was our votes that made him president. We don't need a president who became president not by the votes of the people but the judges thought we needed peace and so made him president.

We already have peace however, we need to strengthen our peace by allowing the rule of law to prevail and reign supreme by ensuring justice. Our constitution doesn't advocate for a president to be declared on the grounds of peace however, a president should be declared on the basis of the majority of legally qualified voters voting for him as required by law.

For real peace to prevail there must be absolute justice. What is the purpose of wasting millions of dollars to organize elections if not to allow the people their right to elect their own leaders.

The will and choice of the people if permitted by law must be accepted. If we really need a president in order to guarantee Ghana peace, then members of the national peace council are the most qualified people for the position of president. The law must reign supreme to sheer human perceptions and instincts.

A Nation Calls For Duty Now!!!!
God Bless Our Homeland Ghana And Make Our Nation Great And Strong!!!!

Kwadwo Nketiah Michael
([email protected])

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