A Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Yonny Kulendi, says fellow Justices are open to criticism of their handling of the election petition.
They, however, draw the line at insults and personal attacks.
“Let’s be constructive, let’s be proactive. As trustees of the people’s power of justice, we are willing and happy to be criticized.”
“Criticise us as violently as you can, but for Christ’s sake, don’t insult us, don’t berate us, don’t speak hatred, and don’t malign us,” Justice Kulendi said at a press conference this Wednesday.
The press conference was to urge the media to be circumspect in its reportage of the election petition.
Justice Kulendi was speaking on behalf of the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah.
Media associations like the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), and the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) were present at the press conference.
The Ghana Bar Association was also in attendance.
The GJA admonished the media to exude professionalism in their reportage on the final verdict of the Supreme Court.
GJA, Roland Affail Monney said: “We are praying that there will be nothing [tragic] about [Today’s] coverage of the judgement of the Supreme Court case.”
The Executive Secretary of GIBA, Gloria Hiadzi, further urged journalists to “reduce the excesses that have sometimes characterized our reportage.”
In the election petition, former President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), took the Electoral Commission and President Akufo-Addo to court challenging the validity of the election results that led to President Akufo-Addo’s reelection.
Mr. Mahama contended in his petition that, President Akufo-Addo did not attain over 50 percent of the vote because of the exclusion of Techiman South from the declared election results.
He has been praying the court in the last two months to nullify the declaration and to cause a re-run between him and President Akufo-Addo.
