Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akomea has stated that no branding of the party has given an impression that it is “a family stool to be inherited.”
In a statement released on Wednesday to react to Kwame Pianim’s comments in the African Watch Magazine, Nana Akomea pointed out that the NPP “is ready to accept results of any election no matter how bitter”.
“In 2008 for example, even though the party was the incumbent government and lost by the narrowest of margins, the party accepted the results,” it noted.
Nana Akomea stated that by resorting to court apropos results of the 2012 Elections, the party is ensuring that it is rebuilt – a call made by Mr Pianim in the Magazine.
“Mr. Pianim calls for a rebuilding of the party. It is our humble view that the court challenge is a major part of rebuilding the party. Indeed the court case seeks to restore the greatest integrity in our electoral system. Hence it goes to the heart of Ghanaian democracy itself,” the statement pointed out.
It said the perception that positions in the NPP is to be inherited informed the conduct of Mr Pianim in 1996, when he decided to contest a decision to disallow him contest the party’s flagbearership.
“Mr. Pianim sought to hold the party to ransom by attempting to subject the party’s congress to his fortunes in the court case. It is that kind of behaviour that suggests that one views positions in the party as inheritances,” the statement indicated.
It also observed that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s presidential candidate for the 2012 Elections, has not held himself out as leader of the party since December 9, 2012.
“Every official meeting of the party at the national level has been chaired by the National Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey,” it stated.
The statement maintained that the rules governing election petitions require that individual citizens should be the petitioners. That is why three members of the NPP are contesting the results.
“These three individuals are therefore acting in the name of the party. It should be trite knowledge that the vast numbers of the rank and file of the party fully support this action. Indeed it will amount to gross negligence and betrayal if NPP leadership took no action in the face of the overwhelming evidence of the Illegalities and malpractices that attended the conduct of the 2012 general elections.”
Nana Akomea stated that Mr Pianim would have known how solid the party’s court case is if he had availed himself to details of evidence.
He further revealed that the decision of the NPP to boycott President Mahama’s inauguration was taken by the National Council, the second highest decision making body of NPP.
“The National Council is composed of the entire membership of the National Executive Committee, Council of Elders, Founding Members, ex-presidents, ex-vice presidents, ex-national chairmen, ex-general secretaries, flagbearers, parliamentary leadership, 20 Members of Parliament, all regional chairmen, heads of the various directorates etc.”
The statement also disclosed that “the party’s protest against the election results is not limited to the Supreme Court.
“The protest extends to other non-violent, peaceful activities such as specific parliamentary boycotts,” it added.
It asked Mr Pianim and other elders to throw their support behind the party in strengthening democracy not only within the party but in Ghana.
“We ask elders like Mr. Pianim be part of the spirit of the party at this time by supporting the tremendous effort the party is making in court not only for itself but for democracy in Ghana”
Source: 3news.com|Ghana