The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has urged Ghanaians to live up to the country's reputation as a peaceful and democratic nation by upholding peace and the rule of law.
"This, we owe to ourselves. May we shun all rabble-rousing, thoughts and actions which will fuel acrimony. Ghana has a duty and a responsibility towards the rest of the continent to be a trail brazer," it said.
In a statement jointly signed by its National President, Nene Abayaateye Amegatcher, and the National Secretary, Mr Justice Amenuvor, in apparent anticipation of the Supreme Court verdict on August 29, 2013, the GBA called on Ghanaians to "let peace reign! Let the rule of law prevail! Let corporate Ghana triumph."
The presidential candidate of the NPP in the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and two others, on December 28, 2012, filed a petition challenging the results of the presidential election which declared President John Dramani Mahama the winner.
On April 16, 2013, the hearing began until July 17 when the court ended taking evidence.
On August 7, 2013, the court took oral addresses from counsel for the parties in the case.
"The GBA further commends the contesting political parties for using due process to have their grievances resolved by the Supreme Court and further restraining their members during the long period of the trial.
"This is a good omen for the courts and the administration of justice that all misunderstandings can be resolved by using the adjudicating process enshrined in the Constitution," the statement said.
In a case that has seen one of the toughest battles of legal wits in recent times, the GBA lauded "the lawyers for their comportment, even though there was much heat at certain periods which tested the strict observance of the professional etiquette rules to elastic limit".
The lawyers' umbrella body also commended the peaceful nature in which Ghanaians followed the petition and advised that "as the date set for final judgement has been announced by the Supreme Court, the Bar wishes to reiterate its call on fellow Ghanaians to be law-abiding and unflinchingly allow the rule of law to prevail".
Source: Daily Graphic
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