- Jabs Counsel and Party Chairman Over adjournment of case against EC

By A B Amorse Failed presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings was yesterday mad at her lawyer, Stanley Ahorlu for agreeing to a new adjourned date with the court without first consulting her. The former first lady, in frustration, was heard by this reporter at an Accra the High Court ranting and raving at attorneys representing her in a case involving the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Attorney General. The NDP presidential hopeful was even more disgusted with her party chairman, Dr. Josiah Aryeh for failing to draw the attention of lead counsel, Mr Ahorlu to the fact that time was of essence in the upcoming election. Mr. Steven Ahorlu who was utterly surprised with the behavior of Mrs Rawlings tried his best to explain things, but the irritated-looking flag bearer, who was panting for breadth, would not pay attention to him. Some supporters of the NDP who besieged the court premises also took a swipe at the Dr Aryeh and Mr Ahorlu for not seeking the views of the former first lady “in a crucial matter of this nature” one angry supporter sated. The Human Right Division of the High Court presided over by Justice Kofi Essel Mensah last week adjourned until yesterday (Tuesday), a case in which the NDP is asking the court to compel the Electoral Commission to allow its Presidential candidate, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings to contest the December elections. The case was adjourned because the Attorney General had not received the amended motion of the NDP before appearing in court on last Thursday.

But at the resumed sitting yesterday, lawyers for Nana Konadu pleaded with the court to allow them some time to file amendments to its earlier motion, which was granted. However, drama unfolded when Nana Konadu’s attorneys, after discussions with the presiding judge settled on 16th November this year as the next adjourned date. The outraged-looking NDP flag bearer yelled at her her counsel for not seeking her opinion before agreeing on the 16th November date. Before her counsel could utter a word, the former first lady, in a harsh tone noted: “Why didn’t you ask me first? Why November 16? Don’t you know time is of essence? If this is the game you guys want to play with me, I will write to the court that I’m no more interested in the case.” Konadu furiously blurted out. Speaking to newsmen after the sitting the NDP lawyer said they were not privy to information that will help their case so they prayed the court to adjourn so they would amend their application. The court, however, granted their plea for adjournment.

Mr. Ahorlu expressed optimism that the court will hear their case and rule in their favor. He is not perturbed at all about how close the elections are.

He did not however say what new information upon which they have come and on the basis of which they requested the adjournment.

Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings’ dream of contesting this year's presidential elections on the ticket of the newly formed National Democratic Party faded, after she failed to meet the EC's criteria by the close of nominations on the 18th of October She was disqualified by the electoral Commission for failing to properly fill out her nomination forms. This is the second excruciating setback in Nana Konadu’s long nurtured ambition of becoming president after occupying the position of a first lady for close to 19 years, with her husband, Jerry Rawlings as head of state. Konadu suffered a humiliating defeat at the Sunyani congress of the NDC last year, when she contested the flag bearership of the party, against the then sitting President John Evans Atta Mills.

For supporting John Mahama Journalist Suffer Persecution -Job currently on the line

Intelligence report picked by The Al-Hajj reveals that ace broadcaster and media practitioner, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, a.k.a. Abeiku Santana of Okay 101.7 FM may be on his way out of his job for daring to openly endorse President John Mahama for the upcoming December elections.

Snippets of information reaching this paper indicate that some prominent people around the Despite Group of Companies, who are owners of his Okay FM, are exerting pressure on the CEO of the company, Mr. Osei Kwame Despite, to dispense with Abeiku Santana’s services.

A source close to the management of Okay FM told of how these people who are close to Mr. Kwame Despite and who are mostly sympathizers of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) are very uncomfortable with Mr. Abeiku Santana’s open declaration of support for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, John Mahama, and are therefore calling for the termination of his contract, which has more months to run.

Abeiku Santana, who is also the host of ‘Ekwanso Dwodwo’ on Okay Fm, together with some prominent media practitioners recently founded the group, Youth For Mahama (YFM), a political advocacy organization, to mobilize the youth of the country to support President Mahama’s re-election bid.

In a related development, media report last week indicates that Abeiku Santana’s declaration of support for President Mahama cost him an award at the recently organized Radio & Television (RTP) Awards.

According to a report in the News-One newspaper, though Mr. Abeiku Santana’s show, ‘Ekwanso Dwodwo’ had won the Evening Drive Time show at the RTP Awards, “information said an eleventh hour decision was taken by the organizers not to present the award to him because it would be lending credence to his drive time show, which has been largely tagged ‘political’ because of the political stance of the host…

“Organizers of the event mentioned and awarded all winners on the night except Abeiku Santana and NEWS-ONE’s checks have revealed that it was purely because of the recent political stance taken by the ace presenter. The organizers however explained that they forgot to mention Abeiku as a winner on the night and that they called him behind closed doors and told him he won the award. The organizers have since not found it necessary to inform the public that Abeiku’s show had won such an award,” the newspaper reported. An observer of the media wondered how an award that had been won on merit could not even be acknowledged publicly by the organizers if not for their own political biases.