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The Supreme Court says it will give its ruling on the application filed by the National Democratic Congress seeking to be joined as a respondent to the presidential election petition brought by Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey of the New Patriotic Party next Tuesday, January 22. The NDC is seeking to join the respondents, named in the petition, the president, the Electoral Commission and the Chairman of the EC, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan. According to the NDC, it wants to join the respondents because the President won on the ticket of the NDC. After lawyers for both the NDC legal team (who filed the application), led by Tsatsu Tsikata and the petitioners (who are opposed to the application) led by Philip Addison ended their submissions, the court fixed January 22 as the date when it will rule on whether or not to allow the NDC to join in its capacity as a political party. Earlier, lead counsel for the NDC, Tsatsu Tsikata moved the motion for joinder as a respondent to the presidential election petition praying the Supreme Court to allow the party to join the petition challenging the declaration of President Mahama as winner of the December polls, because the governing party has a vested interest in the case. Tsatsu Tsikata averred that since President John Mahama did not contest the election as an Independent candidate but on the ticket of the NDC, if his legitimacy is being questioned, the party that put him for election is affected greatly and must be allowed to join the president as a respondent to the petition. More soon...