Kofi Adams Drags NDC To Court

The suspended Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Kofi Adams has finally filed a law suit against the ruling party over its decision to relieve him of his position without due process.

Mr Adams, spokesperson for former President Jerry John Rawlings, through his lawyer Stanley R.K. Ahorlu, is contesting his suspension, asking the court to declare it null and void.

Mr Adams was suspended by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC for supposedly planning to ensure that President Atta Mills does not win the 2012 elections, as allegedly captured on an audio recording.

He was alleged to have noted on the said audio recording: “Atta Mills is not a person going to be president of this country after he finishes with first term. Whatever it takes for him to go to opposition we’ll do it.”

He has since denied the voice being his and through his solicitor, Stanley Ahorlu, brought a suit against the party in which he is, among other things, seeking a declaration from the court that “plaintiff’s suspension from the defendant’s party (NDC) is a penal measure imposed by the defendant without due process and contrary to the rules of natural justice.”

Apart from that, he is also seeking a declaration that “the suspension was void, inoperative and of no effect” in addition to general damages and cost.

The party has 14 days to respond to the claims and file its defence.

NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia had said after the NEC meeting that his deputy, suspended Kofi Adams’s membership of the party, had been revoked and that he was a free agent who could look for a new party to join.

When the issue broke, Mr Adams told Daily Guide, “I have listened to the so-called tape that they are playing and I cannot hear anywhere that I’ve had a pact with anybody; assuming that was supposed to be my voice.

“But I can tell you that I know my voice very well and that the person who did that job did not do a good job because he was not able to mimic my voice very well,” he stated.

He admitted to speaking to Gabby Otchere-Darko, a key and influential member of the New Patriotic Party on several issues but not on the betrayal of the NDC.

“How can I put a call to somebody and be speaking as if I am in a bunker or rat hole; as if he was under siege?” he wondered, saying it did not make sense to him.

On his part, Gabby Otchere-Darko, who expressed utter dismay, did admit having several conversations with Kofi Adams over the Sunyani congress.

He however noted, “But I don’t recall anything in the conversations about election 2012 or Kofi Adams saying he would do anything to send Mills into opposition.”

Gabby said, “I’ve dealt with Kofi Adams on several occasions and he has always shown loyalty to the NDC. That voice doesn’t sound like Kofi Adams’s.”

Now a former General Secretary of the party, who was also suspended in similar fashion, Dr Josiah Aryeh, has backed Kofi Adams’ latest move and told Citi News, “it’s about time because Kofi Adams’ case as well as mine are not the only cases of suspension of hardworking members of the party.

“When you do these things then you smear people, you give the impression that they’ve done wrong and yet you don’t give them the opportunity of having the matter closed.

“There is no closure and it can lead to a lot of trauma, it can lead to a lot of grief, they should simply put themselves in the shoes of other people.”

Dr Aryeh, however, added that the NDC was likely to bully Mr Adams in court but believed the step was in conformity with the rule of law.