By Bruce Asemota
Justice Amina Saho-Ceesay of the Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed a motion filed by disqualified candidate, Joseph Henry Joof seeking an injunction to order the IEC to restrain NPP, UDP, GDC, PDOIS, NUP and independent Essa Faal from campaigning until his case is determined by the court.
Joseph H. Joof, a former Attorney General, also seeks the court to stop GRTS from broadcasting the campaigns of the six candidates cleared by the IEC, until his petition is determined by court.
Justice Amina Saho–Ceesay said she cannot grant the motion, noting that she hasn’t seen what the IEC did to prejudice the disqualified candidates.
Joof, who represented himself against the IEC, said the court should hear the matter given its urgency, arguing further that the IEC has given a head-start to the six candidates to begin their campaign and that he relied on the 20 paragraphed affidavit, including a receipt for the nomination dated on 30th October, 2021; code of conduct, the route they would take during his campaign, among others.
Joseph Joof argued that the campaign is currently ongoing and the High Court should order the IEC to restrain the six candidates from campaigning until his case is determined.
Lawyer K Sanyang, the IEC legal counsel who acknowledged receipt of a motion on notice filed by Joseph Joof, informed the court that they needed time to study the motion and to cross check with the IEC on the averments made by Joof in order to file their response.
Meanwhile, the matter was adjourned to 18 November, 2021 for continuation.
