Opinions of Sunday, 22 September 2013

Columnist: Yahaya, Tanko Ali

Eclipse of the law

When the rules of engagement, statutory laws and constitutional instrument governing an election procedure are violated, abused and defiled by mendacious electoral commissioners, in order to retain a sitting president, in the name of trans positional errors, clerical errors, and administrative errors, and which was validated by the apex court of the land, I dare say that the eclipse of the law has occurred in Ghana.

When a chairman of an electoral commission who is supposed to be a neutral arbiter goes to bed, with a ruling party in an electoral litigation; instruct his counsel to form a "tripartite committee" with the president's counsel, and that of the National Democratic Congress, to cover the rot in an election, I dare say that an eclipse of the law had occurred in ghana.

When a "finger of god church" is blasphemously used to fabricate duplicates, triplicates and quadruplicates of pink sheets by a chairman of an electoral commission, and which is validated by the apex court of the land, I dare say there's an eclipse of the law in Ghana.

When "ballot stuffing" is endorsed and validated by the president of the a nine panel Justices in an electoral petition, dare I say that an eclipse of the law had occurred in Ghana.

When eminent Justices declare that signatures do not matter, and proceed further to delegate more powers to party agents that even exceeds that of a presiding officer, I dare say that it is a recipe for confusion and disorder.

When a chairman of an electoral commission ludicrously confesses that an "Odikro", or any other eminent personality won't be bio metrically verified before voting in contravention of a constitutional instrument, I dare say that there's an eclipse of the law in Ghana. When the primary record of an election, like the pink sheets that, were used to declare a statement of polls, in thousands of polling stations where "you and I were not there" is said to be insufficient evidence by eminent Justices, dare I say that the truth had been suffocated to death.

When Institutions of the state becomes an extension of the ruling party, promoting the interest of the people in power, I dare say that there's an eclipse of the law in Ghana.

When the court of "morality", an that of public opinion "uphold" an electoral petition which is dismissed by the highest court of the land, dare I say that the verdict was bohemian, enigmatic, eccentric, heretic, and mysterious.

When a presiding Justice in an electoral petition case that lasted for eight Months, used less than five minutes to deliver a verdict in a jittery, and an apprehensive manner, with a shaky voice that seemed to suggest that he was being haunted by his conscience, I dare declare the unfortunate demise of Justice in Ghana.

When Justice becomes an illusion, hypocrites hide behind an artificial "peace" for cover, but for how long can Ghana continue to rely on this time bomb we called "peace"?

We must at all times remember that the power of the people is mightier than the people in power. And if you doubt it, ask the Arabian dictators. Let us defy this institutional oppression and constitutional coup detat.

In the words of A Phillip Randolph, "salvation for race, nation, or class must come from within, Freedom is never grants; It is won. Justice is not given; It is exacted".

Tanko Ali Yahaya,

Independent Minded Zongorians. Skiliwonda@gmail.com