The National Council of the New Patriotic
Party has reaffirmed its backing for the petition filed by the three
petitioners (namely, Messrs Nana Akufo-Addo, Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake
Obetsebi-Lamptey), at the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of the
results of the 2012 Presidential Election as declared by the Chairman
of the Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan, on Sunday, December
9, 2012.
At Monday’s meeting, the National Council, which is the
highest decision-making body of the party, other than the National
Delegate Conference, also decided and directed that the party shall
boycott the planned January 7 inauguration ceremony of John Dramani
Mahama and Kwesi Amissah Arthur, as President and Vice President of the
Republic, respectively. This decision is binding on all members of the
NPP, including parliamentarians.
We take this important decision
in order to underline the critical principle of any democracy that the
results of an election should reflect the voice of the majority of
voters, not the voice of those who count, collate or declare the
results. It is our contention that the declaration made by the Electoral
Commission did not reflect this principle. Hence, our challenge in the
Supreme Court of the validity of the election of John Dramani Mahama as
President of the Republic.
We take this opportunity to remind the
general public and our supporters that the scheduled inauguration of
John Dramani Mahama as President of the Republic is without prejudice to
the outcome of the case in the Supreme Court.
We urge our
supporters to continue to remain calm as we seek justice in the Supreme
Court. The petitioners have put their case before Court, and we leave it
for the Court to judge its merits. The NPP, by this case, is seeking to
deepen our democracy by strengthening the institutions that are
mandated by the Constitution of the Republic to superintend the
electoral process: (1) by ensuring that the Electoral Commission is
accountable to the people of Ghana, and (2) the Supreme Court is seen by
all as the ultimate arbiter of electoral grievances and disputes.
We
intend at all times to ensure that the will of the Ghanaian people is
upheld, and we do seek to uphold the sanctity of the ballot through
peaceful, legitimate means.
We wish you a happy New Year.
......signed......
Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie
NPP General Secretary
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Statement: National Council reaffirms backing for NPP court case
