General News of Friday, 15 March 2013

Source: radioxyzonline

Asiedu Nketia: I support 327 joinder applicants

The General Secretary of the governing NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia says he supports the action of some 300 voters who filed applications to join the election petition.

He added that he is happy that the court recognized their rights as citizens and ruled on that.

“The voters who filed, tried to vindicate their rights…at the end of the day we are very happy that their interest has been recognized…I support the stand they have taken” Mr. Asiedu Nketia added.

The nine-member bench on Thursday ruled that the election petition case could proceed without any further joinders.

The over 300 applicants are from about 11,000 polling stations where the petitioners allege rigging took place during the 2012 elections.

New Patriotic Party Presidential candidate for the 2012 elections, Nana Akufo Addo and two others are challenging the election results in court.

They allege the electoral Commission conspired with the incumbent NDC to steal the election for President Mahama.

The NDC was granted an earlier joinder application but the Court said the spate of joinder applications by individual members of the party is superfluous.

However, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, General Secretary of the main opposition NPP accused Johnson Asiedu Nketia of being behind the numerous joinder applications filed by some members of the governing party.

He said the Supreme Court couldn’t have made a better decision on Thursday by dismissing the application filed by over 300 members of the governing NDC.

According to Mr. Owusu Afriyie, the Court took the best decision.