General News of Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Source: Daily Post

NPP Has Missed Its Way To The SC - Ablakwa

A Deputy Minister for Information and MP-elect for the North Tongu Constituency, Hon. Sammy Okudzeto-Ablakwa, has scoffed at yesterday’s demonstrations by NPP supporters in Kumasi saying the opposition party is confused because the Supreme Court it claims it is dragging the Electoral Commission (EC) to, is in Accra, not Kumasi.

“I feel sorry for the NPP because the pain of defeat has left them confused. They have lost track of themselves. What was the use of the demonstration in Kumasi when they are saying they are heading for the Supreme Court? Perhaps, the pain of defeat has dulled their memory and made them forget where the Supreme Court is. In that case, may I remind them that the Supreme Court is in Accra by the High Street,” the Deputy Minister said in an interview with the Daily Post yesterday.

According to him, the leadership of the NPP has resorted to claiming that the party was cheated at the polls only because they do not have the nerves to look their supporters in the eyes and admit to them that once more, they have failed to deliver the victory they promised them.

He said in their desperation to convince their supporters that they were cheated at the polls, the leadership of the NPP at every turn have contradicted themselves. He cited the issue about the number of votes the NPP claimed was added to President Mahama’s votes. He recalled that prior to the declaration of the results, at a meeting with officials of the EC, an official of the NPP asked the EC boss, Afari Djan to delay the declaration of the winner because they have proof that 50,000 votes have been added to President Mahama’s votes.

Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu came up with 150,000 votes as that which has been added to that of President Mahama’s after it was pointed out to the NPP that even if 50,000 was deducted from the total figure obtained by the President and added to theirs, the President will still be victorious.

“Come a few hours later and the party’s General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie declares that it was rather one million votes which has been added to the total votes obtained by President John Mahama.

Ghanaians are obviously being treated to a circus kind of entertainment by the NPP. Why are they playing on the ignorance of some of their supporters? Why can’t they be truthful to their supporters, accept defeat, go back to the drawing board and look for a better candidate to lead them in 2016?” the Deputy Minister asked.

The Honourable Deputy Minister said it was not only with the figures that the NPP have taken their supporters on a wild goose chase.

“We have been told that Former Attorney-General, Ayikoi Otoo, is their lead lawyer in the case they say they are taking to the Supreme Court. In the same vein, we are being told that it is Ms Gloria Akuffo who is the lead lawyer. Then yet again, we have been informed by one of their newspapers that Nana Akufo-Addo is the lead lawyer in the case.

Which is which and who is who? This is part of the confusion in the NPP,” he said.

Sammy Okudzeto-Ablakwa said another part of the circus in the NPP that Ghanaians are being entertained to is the fact that they cannot even tell exactly where they have their so-called evidence which will be presented to the Supreme Court.

“First, we are told they are now collecting it. Then there is a second story that they have the evidence in their Research Office where they claimed the police stormed and carried some (of the evidence) away. Now, they are claiming that the evidence is in the office of Ms Gloria Akufo which has also been raided by people looking for the evidence. What kind of lies are these?”

The Deputy Minister believes that what is happening within the NPP is no different from a key soap concert party programme, intimating that satirist like Kwaku Sintim-Misa (KSM) will be rivalled this year on stage by the NPP and its circus.

Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa called on the leadership of the NPP to stop deceiving themselves and their supporters, accept defeat and move on with their lives.