I�m Disappointed That Given The Ruling, Nana Addo Didn�t Go For Review � Ayikoi Otoo

Former Attorney General in the Kufuor led administration Lawyer Ayikoi-Otoo has lauded the first petitioner in the just ended election petition; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for conceding defeat after the final verdict was announced by the Supreme Court judges. According to him, Nana Addo�s maturity in accepting defeat minutes after the verdict was read, has played a very major role in promoting peace just as the nation wanted. He, however, is disappointed with the decision by the 2012 NPP�s flag bearer not to seek a review of the judgment delivered by the court. He believes considering some of the margins of the ruling, the NPP ought to have mounted a challenge on at least one of the rulings. After months of legal battle, the Supreme Court on Thursday, affirmed the declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC) that Mr. John Dramani Mahama was validly elected as president of the Republic of Ghana during the 2012 December polls. President of the nine-member panel, Justice William Atuguba, who read the verdict named Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as one of the judges who together with �Atuguba Adinyira, Dotse, Gbadegbe and Akoto-Bamfo dismiss the claim relating to voting without biometric verification�. Justice Atuguba is also on record to have named the same judge (Justice Baffoe-Bonnie) as having upheld the voting without biometric verification irregularity. But later, the court amended the error to officially reflect that �Justice Baffoe-Bonnie grants the claim of voting without biometric verification, cancels the votes involved and orders a rerun of the areas affected.� With the correction thus made, four of the judges are now �deemed to have upheld the Petitioners claim of voting without biometric verification, bringing the decision to 5-4 in favour of the Respondents, instead of the 6-3 (in favour of the Respondents) earlier announced by the presiding Judge� Speaking on Joy FM, Mr. Ayikoi-Otoo said the closeness of some of the votes by the judges, offered an opportunity for the legal team of the NPP to consider a review. He believes a review could have seen the earlier ruling being overturned, when two additions (Supreme Court judges) are made to the panel.