News:
March 2, 2015
Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin has described the Electoral Commission (EC) as a stubborn client who will make the job of any lawyer very difficult.
According to him, the EC’s intransigent posture and failure to adhere to laws that govern its activities makes it an ardous task for a lawyer to defend the institution in the court of law.
The MP who is a lawyer by profession and counsel for the aspiring assembly man whose suit against the Electoral Commission resulted in the cancellation of the District Assembly elections which was scheduled March 3, 2015, said this while speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme on Monday 2nd March 2015.
He disagreed with suggestions by a section of the public that counsel for the EC, Lawyer Quashie Idun did not do much to ensure the EC’s victory in court to avoid the postponement of the elections just four days to the day it was set to be held.
Lawyer Afenyo Markin stated that the EC must end its impunity and rather sit up and ensure that it is conversant with the laws with which it operates, adding that “if one has a bad case, it is difficult to defend it, even a good lawyer can put up a spirited defence but the law will not be on his/her side” he said.
The Supreme Court by a 7: 0 majority decision ruled that the election cannot go ahead.
The entire Supreme Court panel agreed with the plaintiff in the case that the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to open and close nominations when the CI 85 had not been passed is unlawful.
The plaintiff, Benjamin Eyi Mensah, a disqualified aspirant for the position of assemblyman in the Eyipeh Electoral Area in the Central Region, dragged the Electoral Commission to Court for failing to include him in the upcoming election.
His Counsel, Alex Afenyo Markins argued that, his client was prevented from filing his nomination even though the constitutional instrument governing the elections had not been passed.
The cancellation of the elections just four days to the D- day has brought a lot of inconvenience to the aspiring assembly members, as it has disorganized their programmes and their budget.
Hon. Alex Afenyo Markin, urged the Attorney General to charge the EC with causing financial loss to the considering the fact that the state will have to marshal funds to reprint ballot papers.
Ghanamps.gov.gh/Kwadwo Anim