Barker-Vormawor Clarifies Supreme Court’s Impact on Electoral Commission’s Actions

Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a member of the Constitution Review Commission and a law clerk, has clarified that the Supreme Court’s recent orders regarding disputed parliamentary seats do not address whether the Electoral Commission (EC) can proceed with re-collation or re-declaration of results without further court authorization.

In an interview on NewsFile on JoyNews, Barker-Vormawor emphasized that the court’s ruling does not explicitly prevent the EC from carrying out these actions. He stated, “Let’s be clear that the Supreme Court’s orders do not affect whether or not the EC can proceed with re-collation or re-declaration without court orders. It doesn’t answer that question for us.”

Barker-Vormawor pointed out that although the court may have found certain actions unlawful, the EC could still proceed with conducting new re-collations, which may not necessarily be based on the High Court’s earlier controversial orders. He further explained that the Supreme Court did not aim to settle this specific issue but rather upheld the High Court’s authority to make the necessary determinations regarding the disputed seats.

Regarding the case at hand, the Supreme Court’s decision came after Justice Rev. Fr. Joseph Adu Owusu Agyemang’s ruling late yesterday, which nullified the re-collation of results in four constituencies—Tema Central, Ablekuma North, Techiman South, and Okaikwei Central—due to challenges in the electoral process. However, the results for Nsawam Adoagyiri and Ahafo Ano North were withheld.

Barker-Vormawor noted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidates involved would receive a fair hearing in the High Court, reinforcing the need for due process in resolving electoral disputes.

This clarification sheds light on the ongoing debate over the EC’s role in finalizing results amid legal challenges and the potential implications of the court’s actions on the future of electoral declarations.