Mahama’s motives for the election petition to radically change its initial position – Samson Lardi Anyenini

Lawyer Samson Lardi Anyenini described the change in argument put forward by the NDC standard bearer before submitting his election petition to the Supreme Court today as “radical change”.

Following the reluctance of the National Democratic Congress to accept the election results declared by the Election Commission on December 10, the NDC submitted its election petition to the Supreme Court today, December 30.

Prior to the submission, the NDC claimed that its candidate, former President Mahama, had won the election and, as such, was to be declared president-elect.

However, following his petition today, Mr. Mahama states that none of the candidates won the election but rather the votes obtained by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, President Nana Akufo-Addo. and himself in the December 7 election, as stated by the EC president was not enough to declare the winner.

“The assertion that the percentage of votes obtained by the 2nd defendant [Nana Akufo-Addo] was 51.595% [6,730,413] of the total valid votes that she clearly stated to have been 13,434,574 was a manifest error, as the votes cast for the second respondent would be 50.098% and not the 51.595% wrongly stated.

Commenting on the former president’s speech at a press conference this evening, attorney Samson Anyenini said that due to the fact that the details of the petition will be subject to scrutiny by the Apex Court, he was essential that former President Mahama present a case that will survive a superior argument.

Speaking to Israel Laryea on Joy News Prime, Mr. Anyenini said: “They spoke about some of the evidence they had. They talk about [vote] padding and so on. It’s their story and right now, it’s still their story. He will now go through the mill. It will be tested; tested in cross-examination tested in superior argument.

“If their evidence and their arguments survive the test of judicial review, they will win. But if the opponents bring a superior argument, it is also possible that they will not win ”.

He continued, “We have heard words like ‘verdict stolen’, we have heard phrases like fiction and fraud, these may not be part of this action, but when you hear claims according to which, according to the NDC’s own calculation, [former] President Mahama had obtained a victory and that he should have been declared the winner.

“Then you read the petition and it says Chairman Mahama did not win, Akuffo-Addo did not win because neither did nor cross the threshold of more than 50% of the total valid votes, so he should have a second round. It is a radical change from what you see in court.