Supreme Court order prevents President Mills from voting

Accra, Dec. 31, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills could not exercise his franchise on Friday as a result of a Supreme Court ruling. On December 24, the court suspended the conduct of District Level Elections in four electoral areas in the Ledzokuku-Krowor District of the Greater Accra Region.

President Mills itinerary indicated that he was to vote at 0900 hours on Friday, December 31, but the Presidential Press Corps that trooped to th= e Golden Gate polling station in the Martey Tsuru Electoral Area were disappointed because the electoral officials were absent.

In an interview with Ghana News Agency, Mr Christian Owusu-Parry, Acting Director of Public Affairs at the Electoral Commission explained tha= t voting in the electoral area was suspended due to the court order.

A nine-member panel presided over by Mr Justice William A. Atuguba, in an unanimous decision said the elections should be held throughout the country with the exception of the affected electoral areas. They are Okpoi Gonno Industrial Area, Tebibiano, Nii Ashitey Akomfra North and Martey Tsuru.

The court order followed a writ filed by six plaintiffs challenging the constitutional validity of the Legislative Instrument (LI) under which the District Level Elections with specific reference to the Ledzokuku-Krowor District are to be held, contending that it was an infringement on Article 11 (7) of the Constitution.

It also sought a declaration that L.I 1983 was null and void and of no legal effect and an order to restrain the EC from holding any district and unit level elections.

The plaintiffs were Stephen Nii Bortey Okane, Sheriff Borteh Borquaye, Anum Kattah, Eric Tawiah, Edward Borketey and Alfred Mensah Tawiah. Meanwhile, Mrs Philomena Edusei, Deputy Greater Accra Regional Electoral Officer told Ghana News Agency that voting had begun in the six remaining districts of Dangme East, Dangme West, Okaikwei, Ashaiman, Ablekuma and Ledzokuku-Krowor.

She said there had been an increase of electoral areas in the Region from 236 to 349 with the creation of additional 113 electoral areas. Electoral areas in Okaikwei from 12 to 19; Ablekuma from 18 to 24; Lezokuku-Krowor from eight to 24; Ashaiman from 11 to 15; Dangme West from 36 to 40 and Dangme East from 36 to 42.