The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is accusing the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) of shifting the goal post in the number of exhibits submitted as evidence in the election petition currently before the Supreme Court.

According to NDC, a statement released by NPP on Sunday, June 16, 2013 indicating a less number of pink-sheet evidence can “unseat” President John Dramani Mahama is disrespect to the intelligence of Ghanaians.

“We in the NDC categorically reject this recent shifting of the goal post by the NPP and wish to point out that this maneuvering is the latest manifestation of the campaign of lies, pedestrian propaganda and vicious fabrications that they have resorted to since their poor performance in the 2012 elections,” a statement from the Communications Directorate of NDC said.

Below is the full release:

STATEMENT BY NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORATE ON NPP’s DISHONESTY IN ON-GOING SUPREME COURT PETITION CASE

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken note of a Press statement dated Sunday, 16 June, 2013 in which the New Patriotic Party seeks to downplay the massive deception and fraud it has perpetrated on the people of Ghana as far as the number of exhibits it has tendered in evidence to ‘prove’ their unsustainable claim of irregularities in the 2012 elections is concerned.

In the said statement, the NPP true to their reputation of calumny, distortion and outright disrespect for the intelligence of Ghanaians made the bizarre argument that the claims they have made all this while that their frivolous petition was based on 11,842 pink sheets no longer holds true and that they require just about 1,500 to ”unseat” President Mahama.

The statement then proceeds to make outrageous claims based on contrived permutations of what reliefs would be granted by the Supreme Court and what supposed effect it will have on the outcome of the 2012 elections.

We in the NDC categorically reject this recent shifting of the goal post by the NPP and wish to point out that this maneuvering is the latest manifestation of the campaign of lies, pedestrian propaganda and vicious fabrications that they have resorted to since their poor performance in the 2012 elections. It is the product of the panic that has beset the NPP in view of the anticipated fatal blow their credibility will suffer when the KPMG audit result is made public.

As far as the people of Ghana are concerned, the NPP has said that there were irregularities, malpractices and violations in 11,842 different polling stations and they look forward to the NPP producing all 11,842 pink sheets-no more, no less. We are fully convinced that the NPP has not supplied this number of exhibits or pink sheets as no such evidence exists and it would soon become clear who has embarked on a wild goose chase.

As for the claim that fewer than 11,842 pink sheets are required to prove their case, it can only be the product of warped thinking. We can neither fathom the mental processes that went into the adoption of such a position nor envisage the brainstorming session that produced it. For when you have filed a petition alleging wrongdoing in 11,842 polling stations and on that basis demanded the annulment of 4.6 Million legitimately cast votes, one cannot expect anything short of strict proof that the number of polling stations where these alleged infractions occurred exist. In any event if they needed just 1,500 pink sheets to make their case why did they not file a case covering just that number?

Then again, truth, decency and honorable conduct have never been the strength of the NPP. We recall how untruth, subterfuge and dishonorable conduct characterized their behavior once it became clear that the inordinate ambition of Nana Akufo-Addo to become President at all cost had gone up in flames once again in the 2012 elections.

We also recall how the NPP initially claimed that they were winning the 2012 elections and at a point called on the General Secretary of the NDC to concede defeat on the 8th of December, 2012. It is also fresh in our minds how Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie asked NPP supporters to clad themselves in white and go to church to jubilate since they were winning the elections before the results were officially declared.

When these claims proved to be false and a clear victory for President Mahama was within sight, the NPP then quickly mapped up a strategy to undermine the democratic process and in effect subvert the will of Ghanaians through the spreading of falsehood and disinformation. All three petitioners have at various times dabbled in this campaign of falsehood and disinformation.

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey speaking in his capacity as National Chairman of the NPP stated emphatically at a press conference in Accra on the 9th December, 2012 that “it is obvious from the preponderance of evidence available to us that at all material times that the ruling National Democratic Congress led by President John Mahama conspired with certain EC staff in constituencies across the country to falsify the election results and thereby abuse the mandate of the people of Ghana. This situation if allowed to go unchallenged, would seriously damage the essence of the electoral process and largely democracy in Ghana”

He then went on to speak about “systematic stealing of votes” in the same statement. Nana Akufo-Addo speaking at Obra spot in Accra on 11th December, 2012 also emphatically stated that he would not back down on his decision to go to court because no matter how long it took the court to arrive at a decision on the case, the truth about the Mahama-led NDC rigging the election would come out.

Mahamadu Bawumia, so-called star witness of the NPP also stated unequivocally at the same Obra spot shortly after Akufo Addo that “the last few days have been a very sad moment in the history of this country. We have after the votes of December 7th, discovered clear incontrovertible, monumental electoral fraud against the people of Ghana…….with the votes counted from just 28 constituencies we have looked at, the stolen votes exceed 100,000 votes for John Mahama.”

Instructively enough, in spite of these wild allegations, when subjected to strict proof in the witness box in court, Mahamadu Bawumia completely exonerated President Mahama of any wrongdoing as far as rigging the 2012 elections and or stealing of votes is concerned. Such unconscionable conduct cannot go without unreserved condemnation.

By admitting that he and his fellow petitioners and indeed the entire NPP had deliberately told untruths about President Mahama, Bawumia has left no well-meaning Ghanaian in doubt about the duplicity of the NPP. It is such duplicity that is at the heart of their current double speak on the number of pink sheets submitted and it is this same duplicity that will eventually prove their undoing in this needless court case.

That a political party can resort to such skullduggery all a bid to foist a man who has clearly been rejected by the electorate on the people makes for sad commentary. We know that this whole hoopla about the 2012 elections forms part of a malicious campaign by the NPP to undermine the legitimacy of President Mahama and in the process distract his government from the important business of running the affairs of the state.

We wish to make it clear that these shenanigans notwithstanding, the NDC remains resolute in its conviction that it was by dint of hard work and the propagation of a vastly superior message as well as a more impressive track record of performance that President Mahama earned the overwhelming mandate of Ghanaians in the 2012 elections. He remains focused on the task at hand which is the enhancement of the welfare of Ghanaians and the attainment of rapid socio-economic development.

Finally, the NDC agrees with Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey when he poignantly asserts in a letter dated 17th June, 2013 addressed to his party that the NPP is at a “sorrowful and pitiable crossroads…and unless it takes immediate and urgent action to restore its basic principles (if it has any), Ghana’s democratic politics could face a very uncertain and intolerant future”.