The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia became a butt of jokes on social media when it emerged his interpretation of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the NDC vrs Electoral Commission case over the compilation of a new voters’ register was wrong.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision on Thursday, dismissed the NDC’s writ seeking to stop the EC from rejecting the existing voter’s card as proof to obtain a new card in the upcoming new voter registration exercise.
However, moments after the Supreme Court’s ruling, the NDC General Secretary told journalists that the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the largest opposition party.
“The Supreme Court has granted our request for the inclusion of the existing voter card … for the compilation of the register,” the NDC General Secretary told journalists.
“This is the most substantive decision for which we came to court so we will get back to office and we will address a full blown press conference on the consequential matters arising.”
“We feel vindicated because the court itself in an earlier ruling has clearly stated that the possession of the existing voter’s ID card means that the holder is a citizen of Ghana who is qualified to be registered to exercise his or her powers so the court couldn’t have gone back on its own earlier ruling,” Nketia claimed.
Moments after his claims, he became a toast of social media as interpretation of the ruling became clearer.
The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the writ by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) which wanted an order for the use of the existing voter ID.
The Court also dismissed another suit by one Mark Takyi-Benson, who wanted the use of a birth certificate as source documents for eligibility to register as a voter.
All seven members of the panel dismissed the suits, which were seeking to prevent the EC from rejecting the existing voters card and birth certificate as proof of eligibility for the new voter’s card.
What Johnson Asiedu Nketiah sought to do is very criminal. Distribution of false information is a crime. If he should be picked up by the police, party people shall bus gullible people to go and shout at police headquarters. They’ll cry political persecution. Very irresponsible.
— Odumoodu (@Otumfour_233) June 25, 2020
So what informed this statement from Asiedu Nketiah , whilst the ruling state otherwise?
>>> The old Voter ID’s cannot be used as a primary document for the upcoming voter registration exercise per the Supreme Court ruing today. pic.twitter.com/GF2ZF2RfOI
— FlexGermainOnline ?? (@flexkgermain) June 25, 2020
Asiedu Nketiah’s presser today is a clear case of why non-lawyers should not be allowed to comment on legal issues.Confusion everywhere ??.
— Noah Tietaah Yakubu (@thenoahyakubu) June 25, 2020
Eddy Nketiah trending in UK and Asiedu Nketiah trending in Ghana
— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) June 25, 2020
Asiedu Nketiah is what you get if you fail to believe in Intellectuals
— CLitoris (@DonClyt) June 25, 2020
Arrest Asiedu Nketiah for causing fear and panic! @GhPoliceService
— Kofi Asare (@BarristerDrew) June 25, 2020
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