Group calls for calm in election petition case

A GROUP called “Let My Vote Count” has urged Ghanaians to remain calm while the Supreme Court adjudicates the case of electoral fraud filed by some leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

It expressed optimism that the highest court of the land would adjudge the case fairly and without favour to ensure that all Ghanaians who went to cast their vote on the day of voting would have their votes counted for the candidate they voted for.

Addressing the media in Accra, Mr Kweku Bonfeh, a spokesperson for the group, urged the court to get to the bottom of the evidence in the case.

The 2012 NPP presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; his running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the party’s National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, have filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the presidential results declared by the Electoral Commission (EC) which declared Mr John Dramani Mahama as President.

According to the three, the elections were fraught with widespread fraud.

Mr Bonfeh said the people of Ghana were being patient despite their frustrations, because they were counting on the Supreme Court to deliver justice.

According to Mr Bonfeh who is a leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the group was inspired by events in Ukraine in 2004 and Thailand in 2008, where the people stood up and said “no” to electoral malpractices.

“Our courts should be no different. If justices in Ukraine, a former KGB state, noted for judicial corruption, could have the courage and conscience to be just, then we have every confidence that our Supreme Court, with a deeper history of independence, will let justice be done and be seen to be done. It is only justice that can secure the peace we seek to protect,” he explained.

He expressed satisfaction that all preliminary legal manoeuvring had ended, paving the way for the Supreme Court to deal with the real issues.

Let My Vote Count Alliance Formed

A multi-party alliance called ‘Let My Vote Count” was today launched at Dome near Accra educate Ghanaians about the need for them to insist on that their votes were factored into the outcome of national elections.

They group added justice which was the prerequisite for peace in the current Supreme Court case regarding an election petition against its declaration of President John Mahama as the winner of the 2012 presidential election.

Speakers at the launch of the group were made up of leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the National Democratic Party (NDP).

They urged the Supreme Court judges sitting on the case to ensure that justice was not sacrificed under the pretext of peace because the ordinary Ghanaian who stood in long queues to cast their votes would not take kindly to an abuse of their trust reposed in the judiciary.

Mr Owusu Bempah of the NDP whose address was preceded by a song by reggae icon Peter Tosh’s song  ‘Equal Rights and Justice” said those seeking justice would not be intimidated by threats from some leading members of a political party that had benefited from the wrongs that went on during the December 7, 2012 polls.

He said the group was formed because they had come to realise that through some shady deals, votes that were cast for specific political parties’ presidential  and parliamentary candidates were ‘stolen’ for others and that if that machination was not halted it would send a wrong signal to Ghanaian voters.

He said if that was allowed unchallenged very soon people would resort to all forms of unlawful means including the use of arms to have their way during national elections which would not augur well for the democratic process.

“Our votes are lost, they have stolen our votes” he stated and explained that almost all the NDP’s parliamentary candidates in the country suffered from the fraud which he said was orchestrated by a  political party with the support of some officials of the Electoral Commission (EC).

Prof Mike Oquaye, a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament likened the alleged theft of votes to a declaration that Ghanaians were slaves.

 He explained that it was only slaves who were not allowed to vote, therefore anyone who tried to steal the Ghanaian votes was likening them to slaves.

Prof Oquaye who danced reggae to the ‘Equal Rights and Justice’ song explained that Ghanaian were a sovereign people who decided through the ballot to select their leaders and expressed the hope that the Supreme Court  judges would allow justice to prevail.

Mr Abu Ramadan, National Youth Organiser of the PNC, said all that the group was seeking was that the entire ballot that went through the right process prescribed by law must be counted and those that fell short of meeting the set standards for valid votes must not be allowed to count.

He said the group which was in support of the leading members of the NPP who through a petition were challenging the declaration of President Mahama as the winner of the 2012 election were good citizens who were setting good precedents for people in African who had always resorted to the use of arms and civil strife to register their protest whenever they felt cheated during  national elections.

My Sammy Awuku, a Deputy Director of Communication of the NPP, was confident that the truth would come out and challenged the NDC to also come out publicly to state to Ghanaians that they would abide by the verdict of the Supreme Court, because the NPP and its leading members have made that pledge on several occasions.

He told the crowd that it the Supreme Court would not be the first to overturn results because the reversal of results by a Supreme Court had taken place in countries such as Ukraine, Thailand and other parts of Africa.

Supreme Court will vindicate NDC- Boateng-Gyan

THE National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Yaw Boateng-Gyan, has assured party supporters and members to gird their loins and strategise to  ensure a resounding second term for President John Mahama.

He asked them to brush aside the petition at the Supreme Court challenging the victory of President Mahama, because the highest court of the Land would re-affirm the decision made by majority of Ghanaians which was announced by the Electoral Commission (EC) on December 10, 2012.

Addressing members of the party at a victory get-together in the Dome Kwabenya Constituency last Saturday evening, Mr Boateng-Gyan, who would not want to be drawn into specifics of the issues, described some of the disputes raised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as “laughable”.

He noted that the leadership of the NDC and the government led by President Mahama were not the least distracted by the court case but were focused and working assiduously to deliver the promises made to the people of Ghana and also ensure that the second phase of the Better Ghana agenda was attained.

The NPP has refused to concede defeat after the declaration of the results. Its 2012 Presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the party’s National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, have filed a petition at the Supreme Court, asking the court to annul the verdict of the EC because the results did not reflect the actual votes cast at the polling stations.

Mr Boateng-Gyan noted that the NDC had also collated all the results from the 26,000 polling stations and surprisingly and contrary to the claims by the NPP, what was realised after the tabulation was exactly what the EC declared.

He described the NPP as bad losers and advised them to reflect and put their house in order for the next election.

He advised NDC members, particularly those in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, to close their ranks and rally behind their leadership.

A former Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Vanderpuiye, challenged the party members to evolve tactics that would secure the seat for the party, complaining that it was worrying that the party had not been able to win the seat for a long time.

PURC acts to mitigate effect of water rationing on public

THE Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) has asked the Ghana Water Company (GWC) to furnish it with all the details of the company’s planned rehabilitation of the Weija Water Treatment Plant by February 1, 2013. The GWC has announced a rationing of water to some parts of Accra and Tema as a result of its scheduled rehabilitation works. The problem arose because the filter beds which were used as the final water treatment point had developed cracks.The cracks do not also allow the sand, used as part of the filtrating process to sip through the cracks. Water, therefore produced under such circumstance was not good for human consumption. But the PURC, as part of its obligation to protect the interest of consumers, today made the demand to enable the commission to monitor and also ensure that such rehabilitation works did not adversely affect consumers . A member of the commission, Mr Alex Bonney, who made the demand during a tour of the Weija Water Treatment Plant, expressed surprise that the company could come out to talk of rationing water to some parts of the country without giving recourse to the commission. Members of the commission in the company of reporters, toured the site to ascertain for itself the claim by the water company that three of its 12 water filtration systems were down, while another defective one was being managed. According to the GWC, the defects had given rise to a shortage of 20 per cent of water production, representing 10 million gallons of water produced daily. The PURC is an independent regulatory body that oversees the provision of the highest quality of electricity and water services to consumers. Its key functions include monitoring and enforcing standards of performance for provision of utility services; providing guidelines for rates to be charged for the provision of utility services; examining and approving water and electricity rates and protecting the interest of consumers and provision of utility services. Mr Bonney, who had in a previous meeting with the GWC chastised the company, explained that the commission would not renege on its responsibility to secure the interest of the consuming public while ensuring that the company was given its fair share of what it was due. According to the GWC, three out of its 12 filtration points were damaged and explained that the contract for the reconstruction of the filtration points would be awarded in a month’s time. The Managing Director of the company, Mr Kweku Botwe told the Daily Graphic that as to when the contractor would complete the work “we can’t tell. It could be two weeks or six months. He insisted that “nobody had mentioned six months as the period that the rehabilitation will be completed”. He noted that the company was already rationing water in some parts of Accra for the past eight months and that with the challenge, those who had been getting water for seven days would enjoy it for about five days. Explaining further, Mr Irenious Buule, the Chief Manager for Accra Tema Projects, said it would take a month for the bidding process to be completed after that the contractor would come out with the design and the time to complete work. He explained that it would be in the interest of both the consumer and the company for the contractor to do a thorough job.

Electioneering interspersed with controversies

THE year 2012 lived up to its billing as an election year. From the blow of the whistle to the end of the game, it was marked with preparations galore by both the election administrator [the Electoral Commission (EC)] and the main players (the political parties), which culminated in peaceful elections. It began with the call for the use of biometric registration and subsequent discussions by various stakeholders but eventually the commission announced that it would organise a biometric registration, the first of its kind in the electoral annals of the country. As usual with most electoral activities, even the award of the contract for the biometric registration was besmeared with allegations and counter-allegations, but finally it was settled and the commission started a 40-day registration exercise after some successful piloting. Because there were only 7,000 registration kits, polling stations were brought together as clusters, meaning that a team of registration officials with a set of equipment (kit) would be assigned to a number of polling stations in an electoral area. While most registration centres witnessed a smooth exercise, places like Odododiodoo in Accra was marked with clashes between the supporters of the two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). All this while, the NPP and the Danquah Institute were trumpeting their call for biometric verification during the election, but the EC promised that it would be considered later. However, the NDC for its part adduced a lot of argument to support their dislike for the use of the verification machine including the fact that it could break down on election day. Although the late President Mills had earlier won the mandate of delegates to contest the elections at the NDC congress in Sunyani, death did not allow him to live to see the 2012 elections when on July 24, 2012 he was pronounced dead at the 37 Military Hospital. The same day, then Vice-President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as the President of the Republic. The National Executive of the NDC in a quick move resolved and nominated President Mahama as the sole candidate who was also overwhelmingly elected, just five months to the elections. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP presidential candidate, who had been elected in 2011, re-nominated his 2008 running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for the 2012 election. Another hot issue that deepened the division of the NDC and the NPP was the creation of 45 new constituencies by the EC after the establishment of some new district assemblies by the government. The NPP, after appealing to the nation and making its argument, went to the Supreme Court but the EC was given the green light by the highest court of the land to continue with the process. Just after the court’s declaration, the NPP and other parties which had not elected their aspirants for the 45 new constituencies moved into action and conducted their primaries. Some political parties which had not gone to congress to elect their flag bearers and those that had not held primaries to select parliamentary aspirants embarked in earnest processes to be battle ready for the much talked about 2012 general election. Surprisingly, a lot of political parties came into being and took their final certificate with the view to actively participating in the 2012 elections, although most of them did so at the tail end of the year and very close to the elections. Then came the first real test of the strength and capabilities of such political parties to contest the December 7 polls, the filing of nomination of presidential candidates. It took place on the October 17 and 18, 2012 with some casualties. It was a routine procedure for the NDC, NPP, PPP, CPP, PNC, GCPP, UFP and an independent presidential candidate. However, other parties, including the National Democratic Party (NDP), led by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, and Prophet Daniel Nkansah’s New Vision Party (NVP) could not file their nomination to vie for the position. NDP took their case to the law courts but lost. For the NVP, they accused some officials of the EC of criminal conduct, alleging that those officials collected monies and promised to assist the party through the back door and ensure that their presidential candidate’s picture and name appeared on the ballot. Madam Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party, who could not pass the EC’s litmus test to become a presidential candidate, joined forces with Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom’s PPP. Frankly, this year’s election was a marked departure from the previous electioneering which centred mostly on personality attacks and unwarranted insults interspersed with few issues. The PPP, the PNC and the CPP nominated women to be their running mates, a feat which was unprecedented in the electoral history of Ghana. Another unparalleled occasion was the signing of the Kumasi Peace Accord by all the presidential candidates in Kumasi. December 7, 2012 came and went away and on December 9, 2012 the Electoral Commission in the performance of its constitutional duty pronounced President Mahama as the President-elect. This, however, did not pass without controversy. The NPP complained about some irregularities, but the EC said if the party had any problem it should go to court. After days of demonstrations and press conferences by both members and leaders of the party, the NPP, led by its presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as well as the National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obestebi-Lamptey, filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the election results.

NPP supporters beseige Kufuor's residence

A number of supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) massed up at the residence of former President John Agyekum Kufuor yesterday morning to impress on him not to honour the invitation to attend the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama. The supporters, some of whom had slept overnight outside the former President’s Airport residence in Accra, claimed that the decision of the former President to attend the swearing in ceremony was a betrayal of the party’s cause to seek justice in respect of the declaration of President Mahama as winner of the December 7 presidential election. To give more meaning to their pleas, some of the supporters resorted to crying and wailing outside former President Kufuor’s residence. The NPP has petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the results of the presidential election which they claim was rigged in favour of President Mahama. Yesterday was the second time the youth of the party had massed up at the residence of the former President, who won presidential elections on the ticket of the NPP in 2000 and 2004. Last Thursday, an NPP youth group, the Young Patriots, during their protest, referred to the party’s National Council meeting which had “directed that the party shall boycott the planned January 7 inauguration of President Mahama and Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur as the President and the Vice-President of the Republic, respectively”. Later, the Young Patriots withdrew the earlier threat to protest against former President Kufuor over his decision to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Yesterday’s protest saw some of the youth carrying bottles of Schnapps, ostensibly to invoke the spirits of their ancestors on the former President. However, those people were advised by some of the protesters to refrain from that action. At exactly 8.45 a.m., a slow-moving convoy of vehicles moved out of the residence of former President Kufuor without resistance towards the Independence Square where the ceremony took place. The professionalism of the police was on display, as they coerced and, in some cases, carried some of the protesters who lay supine on the road to prevent the former President from leaving his residence. Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the National Organiser of the Patriotic Volunteers, Mr Ebow Bansah, said it was unfair and a betrayal of the NPP’s cause for the former President to attend the inaugural ceremony. He said for the sake of unity in the NPP, the former President should have listened to the pleas of the supporters not to attend the ceremony. “Yes, he is a statesman, an ex-President for that matter, as well as a symbol of authority for the nation, but the interest of the party should have come first,” he said. He cautioned National Democratic Congress (NDC) propagandists not to misconstrue the attendance of ex-President Kufuor as an endorsement of President Mahama. The Youth Organiser of the NPP in the Ashaiman Constituency, Mr Baba Alhassan, in his remarks, told the Daily Graphic that the party was built with the effort of the grass-root supporters who had worked hard over the years to promote its messages. “This is gross disrespect to us and a disappointment to the entire party supporters who have joined the party because of its principles and objectives,” he said.

Akufo-Addo interacts with Rawlings

For years, the two political heavyweights who belong to different political persuasions have never met to jaw-jaw on national issues. With smiles and a warm handshake, former President Rawlings defined his role as a statesman when he welcomed Nana Akufo-Addo to his residence. The meeting, which was least expected and never thought of, centred on how best to secure a peaceful and united atmosphere during and after the December general election. It was also to ensure that corruption was minimised to generate enough resources to better the lives of the impoverished people of Ghana. Many reporters covering Nana Akufo-Addo did not believe it when they were told by the Nana Akufo-Addo Communications Team that the NPP flag bearer was to going visit former President Rawlings until the bus conveying them passed what is referred to as the ‘Boom Junction’ and entered the Ridge residence of the former President in Accra. Surprised at the great number of reporters and the historic nature of the meeting, former President Rawlings remarked, “I wish I had a camera to take a shot of this. I mean this is a real bonanza. We have never seen this before in this country.” Former President Rawlings, who is also the founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), wholeheartedly welcomed Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage with laughter. The Akufo-Addo entourage included the NPP National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, and the Special Aide to the flag bearer, Mr Abu Jinapor. Both leaders exchanged pleasantries, to the amazement of the reporters present. Setting the tone for the cordial discussions in a crowded but cosy room, Nana Akufo-Addo said the time had come “when actors in the political scene found a way to talk with each other rather than at each other, which has been the case in our country for a long time”. He said the visit was to ensure that they found a way to secure peaceful elections and also give his reassurance and commitment to non-violent elections. Former President Rawlings described the meeting as a “privilege and honour” and expressed the hope that it would send positive signals to supporters of both the NPP and the NDC. He said what the supporters of both parties would expect was a very “vigilant, free and fair elections devoid of provocations, especially in areas that the two parties consider as their strongholds”. Former President Rawlings, who played a leading role in the NDC’s campaign to capture power in the 2008 elections, assured Nana Akufo-Addo, “I may not be active on the campaign trail so you can rest assured that you will probably not be hearing the [Papa] ‘tia tia’ comments.” In a very surprising remark, he indicated that he personally expected either President Mahama or Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP) to win the 2012 elections. “Can NDC supporters enjoy the same degree of security and freedom under your government as the NPP had enjoyed under the Mills-Mahama government should Akufo-Addo win the elections?” he asked. According to former President Rawlings, a great number of NDC members and supporters were nervous in case their party lost the elections because of the experience they had when they lost power in 2000. “That is part of the nervousness that is creating the stress and tension in our camp about going into opposition,” he stated, adding that it was important that the NPP assure Ghanaians that if it won the elections, there would be freedom and justice. He reminded the NPP that even the international community had realised that the 2012 elections could be “a make or break for the achievements of our country” and called for collaboration to ensure that Ghana did not slide into destruction like other countries. “Let us use this opportunity, irrespective of whoever wins these elections, to make the most and give this country the necessary lead she needs. Let’s prove a point that it could be done,” he pleaded. Likening elections to football matches, former President Rawlings said just as Ghanaians supported their individual football clubs at the local level but united to support the Black Stars, the national team, they should replicate that in the creation of government to engender unity and also be able to tap the best brains to solve the problems of the people, especially in the area of health and education. He pleaded with all the presidential candidates to ensure that whoever won the elections focused on the fight against corruption which was eating into the fabric of society and prevented the country from making the necessary developmental leaps. Nana Akufo-Addo described the former President’s concerns as welcome, saying they also reflected the concerns of the ordinary Ghanaian. He said the meeting was a new page in the political history of Ghana and noted that it was the responsibility of leaders to address the developmental challenges of the people and transform their lives for the better, especially better health care, quality, affordable and accessible education and more dignified living. For his part, an elated Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey commended President Rawlings for his great legacy for the country, especially setting in motion the Fourth Republic, managing the transition from military to civilian government and also leaving a legacy of integrity in government. He added that if Ghanaians would follow the legacy and demand integrity and accountability, Ghana would be able to develop, a comment which made President Rawlings remark, “That is what led to the formation of the NDP.”