2012 Election Petition. The War Drums Must Be Silenced – CGIDJ

The Coalition of Ghanaians in Italy for Democracy and Justice have followed with keen interest developments relating to the on-going petition at the Supreme Court, both in the court and outside the court.

As we maintain our stand of our firm faith in the Supreme Court we regret the seemingly coordinated effort by communicators of the ruling National Democratic Congress to undermine the authority of the apex court of our land.

We are happy the court has warned to bridle the loud mouth commentators whose comments will not only undermine the court but also has the tendency of plunging the country into chaos during and especially after the petition hearings. We say kudos for having used Sammy Awuku as the first example.

We are calling the attention of the court to the disturbing statements made by leading members of the ruling NDC and their planned disregard of the outcome of the petition if it goes against them.

President Mahama started the war cry and emboldened his followers to toe the dangerous line of the plan to refuse the verdict of the court if it goes against them. President Mahama is on record to have told his supporters that he won the election “clearly and fairly” and that the supreme court has no alternative but to declare him the winner of the election which the petitioners are working to proof in court that it was flawed with many irregularities.

This declaration by the president was both prejudicial and contemptuous and it sought to say the court has not any reason to declare the respondents losers even if the petitioners are able to prove their case beyond any reasonable doubt. It is prejudicial because by that statement the president declared himself victor before even a judgment will be passed.

Stephen Atubiga, also an NDC communicator has gone from one radio station to another announcing that the(NDC) will not accept the verdict of the court if the petitioners are declared winners of the case. These are his exact words; “The NDC will never vacate the presidency, should the supreme court declare Nana Addo and the NPP victors of the case. We are not and will not in the future get out of government: Whatever the court will say will not be practical, unless such comments are in our(NDC) favour. There will be mayhem in Ghana if the court in anyway call victory for the NPP”. According to him it will be bitter sweet victory. He also added that if the NPP won “Ghana cannot contain all of us”. He also threatened that their foot soldiers are ready to protect the presidency of John Mahama even at the peril of their lives stressing “we are prepared to meet NPP boot for boot, we are ever ready and we will not hand over”.

As Atubiga was issuing this threats and defiling the court on Asempa FM, Kwaku Boahen an NDC Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser was also on Angel FM propagating the same defiance to the court and playing the same war drums as Mr Atubiga.

Bohen is quoted as saying; “If the NPP is dreaming that a day will come in Ghana that the court will say the December 2012 election was marred with fraud and that the NPP flag bearer Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo is the real winner, for the NDC to hand over power, they should forget it” he cautioned.

He further continued by saying; “Do you think NDC will sit aloof and watch the court hand over power to the NPP? Never! It will never happen in Ghana and anyone can mark it on the wall.” He stressed obviously defiling the powers of the court and instigating the public to violence.

Not just these two, Gabby Asumin also of the NDC also said and I quote; “I tell you that, look, this election which the NDC has won genuinely, there is no place for Nana Addo, His excellency President Mahama will make his four years mandate and there is nobody, Nana Addo on the face of the pink sheet to be a president, then maybe, we are calling for civil war in this country, I am telling you. He said.

It is not long ago when Felix Ofosu Kwakye bet on his own life that the NPP has lost the case already although the court has not declared anyone winner yet.

If all these statements are coordinated carefully, there exist a planned agenda to disregard the powers of the court and to show an ongoing strict disregard of the priceless job being done by the Court.

We by this statement congratulate the Supreme court for haven invited Stephen Atubiga and Bohen for questioning. We also affirm our support for the court and give them thumbs to continue on this line. We also call on the national peace council and all religious bodies and the civil society organisations to quench the fires whilst they are still small. We as an organisation condemn this comments in all terms applicable.

Mr. George Annor - Chairman N. D. Asare - Secretary Coalition of Ghanaians in Italy for Democracy and Justice.