Yakubu commends PNC NEC, Mahama

A MEMBER of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr Usman Yakubu, has commended the National Executive Committee of the party and Dr Edward Mahama, the leader of the party for extending an olive branch to some members of the PNC who are battling the leadership of the party in court.
He has also urged the members of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), who are in court, to accept the olive branch and assist in amicably settling what he termed “family matters out of court so that we can spend our meagre energies and resources not litigating in court but reorganising the party to win the 2012 general elections”.
Last Friday, Dr Mahama extended an olive branch to all members of the party who are challenging the eligibility of the current executive in court and also urged those who have been occupying the party’s offices to vacate and “apologise to the law abiding rank and file of the party, because the party believes that the courts are not the place to settle inter party disputes.”
Mr Yakubu was elated that the lock to the party headquarters and the photographs of the leading party members which were the main issue at the court could easily be taken out of court.
That, he said, was because in the full glare of the media and national executive members of the party, all the photographs were found intact at the headquarters and also a police officer witnessed the breaking into and changing of the locks to the headquarters.
He noted that now that the National Executive had entered their offices without let or hindrance, they should pursue peaceful settlement with the IMC and should not let the extension of the olive branch be only a rhetoric, adding that “it also behoves on the members of the IMC to work towards smoking of the peace pipe.”
The three members of the IMC, Dr Sontim Tobiga, Baba G. Seidu and Ahmed Gado, were arrested and charged with unlawfully breaking into the national headquarters and stealing framed photograph of leading members of the party totalling GH¢ 1,700.
Mr Yakubu also pleaded with members of the IMC to show good faith and utilise the opportunity by allowing an out of court settlement, adding that “by the grace of God we are preparing to go to congress in November 25, 2011 and the best they can also do is to commit themselves to ensure that the processes leading to the congress were free, fair and transparent.”
He said those who were against the current executive and Dr Mahama have the opportunity to either stand against them or lobby others whom they believe could win national positions.
He said with the deepening rivalry between the NDC and the NPP, the PNC had the best opportunity to present a united front to Ghanaians and win the 2012 elections.
On February 24, 2011, the presiding District Magistrate, Mrs Faustina Mary Addington, after revoking their bail, had further ordered the agents, assigns and workmen of the accused persons to vacate the premises until the final determination of the case.
On March 11, 2011, the Accra Fast Track High Court quashed the decision of the Adjabeng District Magistrate’s Court which had remanded the three executives IMC into police custody.
According to the High Court, it was wrong in law for the district court to revoke a bail it (district court) had earlier granted to the accused persons because it had no jurisdiction to do so.