Electoral disputes: Be fair, transparent in your adjudication – Catholic Bishops to judiciary

Ahead of the December 7 general elections, Ghana’s judiciary has been admonished to maintain its integrity, impartiality, and fairness in the adjudication of electoral disputes.

This admonishment was made by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

The Bishops’ Conference, through its president, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, emphasised the vital role that the judiciary plays in safeguarding the democratic process, particularly during elections, which often see heightened political tensions and the potential for legal contestations.

The backdrop of this admonishment is the recent history of electoral disputes that have tested the resilience and impartiality of Ghana’s judicial system.

Two significant presidential disputes in the last decade serve as prominent examples. The first occurred in 2012 when then-opposition leader Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, alongside his New Patriotic Party (NPP), contested the results of the presidential election.

Akufo-Addo’s petition, which was rooted in allegations of electoral irregularities, sought to challenge the victory of the incumbent, John Dramani Mahama.

The Supreme Court of Ghana was tasked with reviewing the evidence and ultimately adjudicating the matter. After months of deliberation, the court ruled in favour of Mahama, upholding the results of the election.

The second major dispute came in 2020 when the tables were turned, and former president John Dramani Mahama, now the opposition leader, contested the re-election of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Like the 2012 dispute, this case involved allegations of electoral malpractice, and once again, the judiciary was called upon to resolve the matter.

In his address, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference made it clear that the judiciary’s role in handling any future electoral disputes should be marked by “utmost integrity and adherence to the rule of law.”

He noted that public confidence in the judiciary is paramount, particularly in times of electoral uncertainty, where the decisions of the courts have far-reaching implications for peace, stability, and the future of the country.

“We appeal to the judiciary to continue upholding justice with fairness and impartiality. In the event of electoral disputes, we trust that the judiciary will address them with the utmost integrity and adherence to the rule of law. The judiciary’s role in maintaining public confidence in the electoral process cannot be overstated.”