9/16/2020 NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION V AMOS SIEH SIEBO-MOTION TO DISMISS-FINAL JUDGMENT – As much as we would have preferred that a determination on this case be made on its merits, we are precluded from going any further because of the want of jurisdiction. The taking of an appeal is a journey to the Supreme Court, step by step, and when any one of those steps is missing or is defective, the journey cannot be completed. Blamo et al. v. Management of Catholic Relief Services, Supreme Court Opinion, March Term, 2006. This Court has always held that elections matters are special proceedings which must be heard expeditiously. Kamara v. National Elections Commission, Supreme Court Opinion March Term, A.D. 2017; Jonathon Boye Charles Sogbie v. NEC, Supreme Court Opinion October Term, A. D. 2016. Yet, this Court has also said that the steps required for taking an appeal and for conferring jurisdiction upon this Court to hear the merits of the appeal are mandatory and that except for acts or neglects recognized in law for excusing the failure to comply with the requirements, the Court is without the authority to extend the mandatory time prescribed by law. In the instant case, the excuse provided by counsel for respondent/appellant is not acceptable in law and hence cannot be given legal credence. As such, the appeal is dismissible and is therefore ordered denied and dismissed. Mr. Chief Justice Korkpor, speaking for a unanimous Court in the Sogbie case of similar nature, espoused thus: “It is incumbent on a candidate in an election to ensure that he has in place a qualified legal team so that in the event he believes that election violations have occurred, he would be in the position to adequately take advantage of the law, especially with the time-frame prescribed by the law for asserting a challenge and timely appealing from any decision related to the challenge.” This Court says that in as much as it is in sympathy with the plight of the respondent/appellant, it cannot ignore or disregard the law that compels the appealing party to shield and surround himself with the safeguards of the law by personally seeing to it that all necessary jurisdictional steps are completed within the time specified by law so that there are no grounds for dismissal judiciary.gov.lr/national-elections-commission-v-amos-sieh-siebo-motion-to-dismiss-final-judgment/ 33/36