We, the Executives and the entire membership of NDC-USA, wishes to congratulate the NPP for successfully electing their standard bearer for 2016 general election. We also congratulate Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo for his landslide victory and the first flag bearer elected towards election 2016.
The race, however, didn't go without some interesting developments. We wish to bring some of these happenings to the fore with the view to avoiding future occurrences to move our democracy to the next level.
First of all, the issue of allegations and counter allegations especially between Allan Kyeremateng's camp and Nana Addo's camp. Most of these allegations were far below the belt which should not be tolerated in our body polity in Ghana. The most worrying and frightening issue here is the phenomena of secretly recorded tapes which is becoming a means for blackmailing our political opponents.
In any civilized society, it is a crime to record somebody without his/her approval. Even government agencies cannot secretly record people without seeking approval from the law courts. And this is permissible only when the security of the country is at stake. Besides going against the laws, this phenomenon, if not nib in the bud, will destroy the sociological needs of sharing our feelings, desires and opinions with neighbors in confidence.
Right from day one, it was so obvious that Nana Addo was going to win the race. To this end, we were not so much surprise with the allegations from Allan camp since studies are abound in social psychology in the area of group behavior, which indicate that minorities are always seen to be aggressive. However, the reactions from Nana's camp clearly revealed the political immaturity of these individuals. One would have expected Nana's side to react to these allegations in a manner that would make it easier to bring the 'opponents' on board after he became the leader of the party. This wasn't the case.
The next issue worth looking at is the media reports that some executives of the NPP allowed some 'delegates' whose name were not found on the electoral register to vote. One typical case was reportedly, in the Manhyia North in the Ashanti Region where the party's regional chairman, chairman Wontumi was allowing people to vote though their names were not in the register. Media reports have it that the regional chairman claimed he knew these individuals as executives.
The NDC USA finds this very interesting since not too long ago, at the Supreme Court, when the chairman of the electoral commission, Dr. Afari Gyan said we needed to be flexible in the application of "no biometric no vote", NPP went to town. Dr. Afari Gyan raised the issue of a chief of a village/town goes to the polling station with his voters ID card, his name is in the voters register but for some reason (s), his tomb print could not be picked by the biometric device. Such a chief is known by all in the town, should he be denied to vote simply because a machine could not identify his tomb print? NPP disagreed with him and rain all sort of unprintable words on the man. What happened to that position?
A serious affront to our democracy started to unfold from Thursday, October 16, 2014. Sir John, the immediate past general secretary of the party and Nana's loyalist, was on Adom fm accusing the executives of trying to postpone the election. According to him, this was as a result of lack of funds. After making all sorts of allegations, he ended his comments with an appeal to Nana to bring money so the elections could go on. Less than three hours, Nana's camp announced to the whole world that he was supporting the party with GHC600,000.00, in spite of the fact that the chairman, Paul Afoko, was on Asempa fm to refute sir John's allegations.
Interesting coincidence indeed!!! NDC USA was shocked to the marrow when in reaction to the party's general secretary and the national treasurer's claimed that the headquarters is yet to receive the 'donation' after 24 hours, Nana's camp told Ghanaians that they were not going to give the money to the headquarters but rather, they have started distributing it for, and on behalf of the party.
The nagging questions NDC USA would like to ask are;
1) since when did a candidate in a competitive election, took it upon him/herself to share money to the electorates for, and on behalf of the electoral body? However, this didn't come to us as a surprise at all. We do remember when in 2007, in Ghana's preparations towards election 2008, the then NPP government headed by President Kuffour, constituted a Procurement Committee, chaired by the then minister of Regional Integration and NEPAD, Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum to procure all electoral materials for the electoral commission. It took civil society and the opposition political parties led by NDC to fight to ensure that the electoral commission remained autonomous as per the 1992 constitution of Ghana and
2) is it the case that Nana doesn't trust the current leadership? Is it to confirm the perception that Nana was not going to work with the Paul Afoko led executives?
These notwithstanding, it is our strong believe that the party would be able to mend the broken edges and unite going into election 2016.
Long Live Ghana!!!
Signed
Justice K Tettey
Deputy Secretary-Media
NDC USA
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