The Tamale High Court presided by His Lordship Daniel Obeng on Tuesday (8 June, 2021) granted an application filed by the petitioner in the ongoing Savelugu election petition, Mr. Muhamed Abdul-Samed Gunu, for the production and inspection of the 2020 Collation Sheets (Form C) in the custody of the Electoral Commission (EC).
The NPP 2020 Savelugu Parliamentary Candidate, Muhamed Abdul-Samed Gunu is challenging the legitimacy of Abdulai Jacob Iddriss, the 2020 elected NDC Member of Parliament for the area.
The petitioner raised issues of electoral malpractices and widespread of irregularities in the 7 December, 2020, parliamentary election.
The Court heard the application this morning when the case was called in court but lawyers for the Second Respondent objected to the application.
However, the first respondent herein the electoral commission did not raise any opposing view to the application.
Nonetheless, the Presiding Judge, Justice Daniel Obeng proceeded to uphold the application and accordingly directed the elections management body to produce the documents by June 18, 2021, for inspection.
The matter is therefore adjourned to June 21, 2021, for case management.
In a related development, the Tamale High Court has set 28 June, 2021, to begin hearing the Zabzugu parliamentary election petition filed by the NDC 2020 parliamentary candidate to challenge the collation of results in last year’s general election.
Meanwhile, the 2020 New Patriotic Party Campaign Manager, Peter Mac Manu believes the recently proposed reforms outlined by the electoral commission could be the game changer to the perennial challenges during collation.
He said conducting the collation exercise at the electoral area level would make the process manageable and arithmetical feasible to prevent the usual congestion and chaotic situation at the constituency collation centers.
