Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Gaming Commission, Lamtiig Apanga, has praised the legal route taken in the Kpandai parliamentary dispute after the court ordered a re-run of the elections.
According to him, the petitioner deserves commendation for pursuing the legal process and allowing the issue to be resolved peacefully.
Speaking on Channel 1 TV and monitored by NewsDesksGH on November 25, he said, “We need to congratulate the gentleman who went to court.”
“What we need to even do more is to appreciate the fact that nobody took up to the streets and that we felt that it was necessary to go to court.”
He noted that court action remains the safest option in addressing electoral disagreements.
“It’s a much healthier, safer and civil way to settle disputes than to hit the road, burn tires, block roads, cause mayhem, go and burn places. This is much better.”
Mr. Apanga added that even the losing side benefits from going through the full judicial process.
“To both parties, even with the losing party it’s a good opportunity. Going to court alone and being able to go through the process successfully and seeing it till the end.”
He also praised the relatively faster handling of the case compared to similar past disputes.
“It is much of an improvement than what we’ve had before. If you remember very well, Ayawaso Wuogon, Rebecca Adotey contested George Amoo and for 4 years the decision was made at the end of the term.”
The case he referred to occurred in 1996 when NPPs candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency George Isaac Amoo challenged the results which had declared NDC’s Rebecca Akweley Adotey as MP for the area.
The process spanned several years and was concluded in 2000.
He added that there has been a clear improvement in the country’s system from that time until now.
“I will call it system failure. But there’s now a better improvement in the system.
“In less than a year the decision has been made. We would’ve wished that this decision would have come maybe in a month or perhaps 3 months so that we’ll save the time and inconvenience.”
