Politics of Friday, 20 May 2016

Source: peacefmonline.com

Even my former JHS can organise presidential debate - Kofi Adams

Kofi Adams, NDC National Organizer Kofi Adams, NDC National Organizer

To those insisting on making the IEA Presidential Debate an election ritual in every election year, the National Organizer of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams says the Presidential Debate is not mandatory in Ghana’s Constitution.

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) says the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot boycott this year’s debate slated for September, saying the debate is for the good of the political parties and so it will not be in their best interest to boycott it.

But the National Organizer of the NDC, Kofi Adams on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning reminded IEA that the Presidential Debate is not enshrined in Ghana’s Constitution to make it mandatory for IEA to organise a debate every election year.

“What makes her think that we need Holy Spirit before we do Presidential Debate? Even the JHS I attended can organize presidential debate,” he ridiculed.

According to him, the media platform given to the NDC every morning to engage with Ghanaians is better than the IEA platform; thus the NDC has its own platform to address Ghanaians and not the IEA's 2 hour program which will make Ghanaians see what President Mahama is doing.

“After all, in the past President Kufuor didn’t go for IEA debate but Ghanaians saw what he was doing. IEA debates don’t determine whether you have done well or not . . .,” he emphasised.

He stressed that “the debate is not going to determine President Mahama’s performance; what he is doing is very clear to Ghanaians and so it is not this debate which will project his achievements.”

Despite the unwillingness of the NDC to take part in the IEA Presidential Debate, Kofi Adams mentioned that President Mahama has not said he is not ready to debate anybody, as he is even ready to debate Nana Akufo-Addo to expose his lies.

“ . . but it does not mean the organiser of the debate should not use the right channel to do the program. Jean Mensa should accord us with respect and not lie that she has already informed us about the debate,” he posited.