...Reveals Supreme Court Case & Parliamentary Boycott Are To Frustrate John Mahama

One of Nana Akufo-Addo’s cousins and most trusted lieutenants has given the biggest disclosure on the true intention of the defeated New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate in last year’s elections, his case at the Supreme Court as well as the unpopular decision to boycott all parliamentary activities.

According to Lawyer Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Executive Director of the Akyem Mafia-sponsored political think tank “Danqua Institute”, the actions of Nana Addo, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey is not about logic but a political decision, purposely calculated to “deny the President residence within his zone of political comfort”.

Mr. Otchere-Darko, a member of Nana Addo’s legal team, presently at the Supreme Court alleging a rigged election, made the shocking revelation in a message sent to Joy FM’s weekly news analysis programme, News File, last Saturday, in which he also shockingly recognized the legitimacy of John Mahama as the truly elected President of Ghana.

He wrote; “Am listening to the voices against NPP boycott of parliamentary vetting and the difficulty is that they are arguing on logic. But the NPP action is not about what is logical but what is political. The fact that the boycott is news drums home the political point that the NPP wants to push that these are not really normal political times. The party is right to use all legitimate political means to deny the President residence within his zone of political comfort. That is the message people must understand. After all, we saw the kind of quality that was on display at the two vetting sittings! It’s all good. Gabby”.

The message which was sent through his phone to the radio station was read by the host of the programme, Samson Lardy Ayenini. However, a founding member of NPP, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, who was a panelist on the programme, questioned the benefit of the political decision for the boycott of the Parliamentary activities if it would not bring the NPP the needed vote to win power in the next elections in 2016.

Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby has been a strong advocate against the Supreme Court petition and the Parliamentary boycott describing them as some peoples’ “Self Promotional Gimmicks”.

Many have argued that the Supreme Court petition filed by Nana Addo, was all about cunningly keeping himself in the minds of the polling station, constituency, regional and national executives of the NPP to once again elect him as their flagbearer for the 2016 presidential election, after two unsuccessive attempts to become president.

Some have also insisted that the likes of Mr. Otchere-Darko, Ken Ofori-Atta and others from the Akyem bloc of the NPP, will be politically irrelevant in the party when Nana Addo is retired.

Kojo Adu Asare, the immediate-past Member of Parliament (MP) for the Adentan Constituency of Accra, who was on the Joy FM programme accused NPP MPs, of short-changing the electorate, with regard to the party’s refusal to participate in the vetting of ministerial nominees.

“If you boycott the vetting of the nominees, how can you debate bills that will be introduced to the House by the Leader of Government Business for instance, who will also be vetted by the committee?” Mr. Adu Asare wondered.

He described the action by the NPP and its MPs as “unnecessary and totally irresponsible,” explaining that, ministers are to assist the President in the performance of his duties.

According to him, every policy that will be discussed on the floor of Parliament, will emanate from the initiatives of the President.

But Communications Director for the NPP, Nana Akomea insists, “Our Interest is that it is legitimate and is in consonance with our interest. Our protest is that, we don’t want to be directly involved with factors that support his (John Mahama) government, which we are opposing.”

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and clergy have both condemned the boycott of parliamentary duties by the NPP MPs, especially the ongoing vetting of ministers by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensa-Bonsu, Dominic B.A Nitiwul, Atta Akyea, Stephen Nana Ato Arthur, Gifty Klenam, Joseph Osei-Owusu, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Daniel Nii Titus-Glover, Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh, Robert N.D. Mosore and Ursula Owusu, are the NPP Minority members on the committee.

Meanwhile, the NPP in a letter issued on Friday, by National Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, in response to the Ghana Bar Association’s call on the party to rescind the decision to boycott the parliamentary duty, stated that even though their NPP MPs would not be available to vet the ministerial nominees, they would however take part in debates on the floor of Parliament.