NDC’s pink sheets claim is a hoax - Gloria Akuffo

Counsel for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gloria Akuffo has dismissed suspicions raised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) relating to an “unexplained sudden increase” in the number of pink sheet boxes at the counting center of the Supreme Court.

The third respondent in the ongoing presidential election petition is demanding an immediate suspension of the ongoing audit of the pink sheet exhibits by international accounting firm KPMG.

The NDC believes the process has been “compromised”.

“It is not accurate”, Gloria Akuffo said about the allegations and narrated her version of events on Joy FM's Top Story Monday.

She said the parties met in the strongroom where the boxes were kept. They carried the boxes of pink sheets to the conference room to count against a checklist of the court registrar.

According to Ms Akuffo, the NDC representative drew attention to the absence of a “C- category” of pink sheets and all parties rushed to the strong room and found the box.

The next concern was about “two missing boxes”. Down into the strongroom, they found a box which was mislabeled, she explained.

Ms Akuffo noted that their perception of the missing boxes was laid to rest when the boxes were finally located among the other boxes in the conference room.

“What they [NDC] thought was not available was actually in the room,” she said.

She said one of the accredited NDC representatives left during lunch time, but urged the other parties to continue with the count. He was covered by his team, she explained.

Ms Akuffo noted that the heart of the controversy rose when as counting continued, counsel for President Mahama, the NDC and EC, Tsatsu Tsikata, Tony Lithur and Quarshie–Idun respectively and Dr. Bamba stormed the conference room.

Counsel for NDC and President Mahama were asked to leave the room by the KPMG official because they were unaccredited.

The counsel then withdrew from the counting process and proceeded to report to the deputy secretary of the Judicial Service. He directed that counting be suspended.

She said she found the reaction of the NDC “surprising”. All the parties were “quite happy” she said and referred to a remark by some representatives that they “were expecting shortages, but now they have overages”.

“Why are they not indicating how many numbers were missing? She queried.

Meanwhile, Joe Winful, a senior partner at KPMG said the accounting firm, the court registrar and parties in the hearing of the election petition are set to meet tomorrow to resolve suspicions raised by the NDC.

The problem was “not insurmountable”. Tomorrow’s meeting will “clear up [the issue] in no time at all,” he said.

He revealed that their interest is to make sure both sides are comfortable and “the results acceptable to all”.

KPMG did not keep custody of the boxes, it was the registrar, he noted and added KPMG joined all the parties in the “strong room” to do the count.