I can’t wait for the final verdict of election petition – Okudzeto Ablakwa

Deputy Minister for Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says Ghana has not made any significant gain in the ongoing presidential election petition before the Supreme Court.

According to him, challenging the legitimacy of President John Mahama has rather had dire consequences on the country’s growth.

Okudzeto Ablakwa was speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court since April 17 has been hearing a petition brought before it by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2012 presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, his vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the party chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.

The petitioners who have alleged massive irregularities in last December’s presidential election are praying the court to overturn the verdict of the Electoral Commission (EC) in their favour.

After months of 'legal battle,' the court made up of nine judges is likely to give its final verdict at the end of August.

Sounding optimistic, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Ekosii Sen opined that "we all cannot wait for [August] 29" for the final verdict.

He stated that the country cannot quantify the full implication of the court case in terms of productivity and investments.

"People are hedging; others are out of the country because they are not sure of what will happen. I am of the view that the country has really lost a lot [and] I am only hoping that in terms of the verdict maybe we may gain something" he said.

The Deputy Education Minister posited that it was an "anticlimax" for him when he saw the petition because the supposed mind-blowing evidence to prove the alleged rigging in the 2012 election was missing.

Okudzeto Ablakwa said the court case has lasted too long, but hoped the final verdict could bring about a significant change in the economy.