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General News of Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Source: Joy Online

NPP’s case destined to crumble – Asiedu Nketia predicts

The General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia is beaming with smiles as he predicts a cul-de-sac in the ongoing election petition.

According to him, as each day passes, activities happening in relation to the court case give him “confidence that the case is about nothing”.

Mr Asiedu Nketia was speaking to the state-owned GTV moments after the Supreme Court had adjourned to Thursday, hearing of the election petition filed by three leading members of the New Patriotic Party.

He claimed that on account of the testimony given by the petitioners' key witness Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in court on Wednesday it is "significant" and clear that the petitioners were actually not ready for the court’s hearing.

He alluded to the admission by the petitioner that some of the documents were “updated last night” as an ample evidence to suggest that the petitioners prayed the court to adjourn hearing to buy time in order to put their thoughts and facts together.

The NDC General Secretary also accused Dr Bawumia of attempting to “smuggle” in some documents to back his case when he had not first tended them to the court.

To buttress his point, he cited the brief reference the petitioner made to the ‘Savelugu scandal’ where some electoral officials were arrested for trying to get signatories to some unsigned pink sheets. He alleged that, that particular incident was orchestrated by the opposition NPP.

In his observation of today's proceedings, Asiedu Nketia claimed the petitioners ran away from some allegations they raised prior to the hearing.

Be believed everything pointed to the fact that the case “started crumbling” even before the court’s processes begun, and therefore likened the petitioners to basic school pupils preparing for examinations.

But General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party rebutted Asiedu Nketia’s assertions, which he claimed exposed his understanding of court processes.

He underscored that rules of the court allow witnesses to refresh their memory of documents they want to refer to.

According to him, he was “so happy” about Dr Bawumia’s presentation which he said sort to expose the “massive rigging” in the 2012 election.

He asserted that the NPP has made its case in court and in due time the party would be vindicated that the 2012 election was a stolen verdict: Nana Akufo-Addo should have been declared winner, he said.