By Nana Kow Blankson

May 28, 2013

Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the NDC, who was examined in the on-going Supreme Court challenge to the 2012 Presidential Election results, emphatically stated in court that Pink Sheets can be likened to Bank Deposit Slips.

Mr Asiedu Nketia who made it known to the court that he once worked at a Rural Bank, added that Pinks Sheets can never be likened to cheques, and like Bank Deposit Slips can be used anywhere.

Mr Asiedu Nketia who is popularly known as General Mosquito made the assertion to debunk claims made by Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the star witness of the NPP in the election petition that, pink sheets are like cheques with serial numbers or watermarks which are unique to polling stations.

General Mosquito who was finishing his evidence led by his counsel, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, emphasised that pinks sheets can be used at any polling station. He explained that since a pink sheet can be replaced if soiled it does not make sense to assign unique pink sheets to polling stations.

Mr Asiedu Nketia, who looked very believable and knowledgeable about what he was saying, noted that the Electoral Commission (EC) track printing of ballot papers with the active involvement of the various political parties and not the printing of pink sheets.

In an effort to expose the petitioners for going to court with unclean hands, General Mosquito told the court that the NPP was involved in selectivity, whereby all the pink sheets supporting their petition came from areas that President Mahama won. This General Mosquito stated was a demonstration of bad faith by the NPP.

The NDC General Secretary also debunked claims by the NPP in their amended petition which talked about the breach of the fundamental rights of a universal adult suffrage and countered that the 2012 elections was the most transparent elections ever held in the history of the country.

Touching on the claims by Dr Bawumia concerning the role of polling agents, General Mosquito told the court that agents are supposed to take decisions on behalf of their candidates, therefore, they cannot be described as exalted agents.

General Mosquito wondered why in one breath the NPP applauded the vigilance of their polling agents and in another breath described them as mere observers.

He refuted the allegations by the NPP that the EC used different registers for both the parliamentary and presidential elections, saying the register used by the EC for both the parliamentary and presidential elections were the same.

nkowblankson@yahoo.com