A member of the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC’s) legal team; Abraham Amaliba has welcomed the decision by the lawyers of the opposition NPP to rescind its decision to challenge the composition of judges sitting on their case at the Supreme Court.
Lawyers representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Friday in a letter to the Registrar of the Supreme Court stated that the decision to pull out is to allow for early hearing of the substantive case.
Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme; Big Issue, Abraham Amaliba said the Petitioners turn-around is refreshing.
“Challenges are allowed but they must be founded on evidence. It is refreshing that the NPP and their legal team have eaten the humble pie because I was wondering how they were going to clear this hurdle when the court ordered them to find a motion to the objection,” he stated.
Mr. Amaliba further stated: “The laws are replete with the standard that is required for you to prove that a panel member must not sit because of acts of bias that they are claiming”.
“The standard of proof is such that you don’t mere speculations or go on radio and make assertions that cannot be supported. The standard of proof is that you must show that there is real likelihood of bias and I wondered how they were going to clear that hurdle,” he added.
The Counsel of the NPP’s Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo Addo and the two other petitioners challenging the validity of the results of the 2012 presidential elections say they would no longer challenge the composition of the panel of judges sitting on the case at the Supreme Court
The lawyers raised an objection in respect of the composition of the panel of judges during the hearing of the NDC’s application to join NPP’s petition.
They requested for an in-camera hearing which was declined by the presiding judge, Justice William Atuguba who asked the lawyers to file a formal application.
