The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has charged the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to desist from misinforming the public on developments at the Supreme Court in the ongoing presidential election petition hearing.
NDC, the governing party warned, should refrain from the penchant to create a false impression that the court is biased against the petitioner, Mr John Dramani Mahama.
A statement issued by NPP’s National Communications Director, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, also slammed the NDC for its ploy to create the impression that the Supreme Court is being provoked to cite Dr. Dominic Ayine for contempt and that the lead Counsel of the Petitioner has been subjected to attacks by spokespersons for 2nd Respondent’s legal team, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah. and Henry Nana Boakye.
According to him, it is an affront to the apex court for the NDC to suggest that the venerable, experienced and learned Justices of the Supreme Court who, over time, have demonstrated to be independent and objective are amenable to incitement by these spokespersons.
“The claim that Hon. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah Esq. and Henry Nana Boakye Esq. seek to incite the Supreme Court against Dr Dominic Ayine is a blatant falsehood that must be rejected by Ghanaians,” he said.
Dr. Ayine, he said, voluntarily uttered the contentious statements and is solely responsible for its consequences.
Mr. Buaben Asamoa noted that the suggestion that the lawyers and spokespersons of the 2nd Respondent have been attacking, insulting and belittling the lead counsel for the petitioner is plain falsehood and mischievously crafted to solicit public sympathy for the legal team of the Petitioner and “to conceal their poor performance, evident from the dismissals almost of every major motion/application they have filed”.
“The regrettable attitude of the lead Counsel of the Petitioner towards the bench has been a matter of public outrage and it is not correct to suggest that it is the lawyers or spokespersons of the 2nd Respondent that have made a case out of it,” he added.
Mr. Buaben Asamoa described as appalling the National Communications Officer of the NDC suggesting the spokespersons of the 2nd Respondent ought to show deference to seniors at the Bar.
The fact, he said, is that there hasn’t been any act of disrespect on the part of the 2nd Respondent’s team towards the Petitioner’s lawyers or spokespersons.
He pointed out that the NDC communicator has, over the years, persistently insulted and disrespected President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo whose legal and political achievements he may never be able to attain his entire life.
He charged the NDC team to focus on explaining to their supporters why the statistics they earlier claimed were in their favour have been abandoned in court.
He insisted that the spokespersons for the 2nd Respondent’s legal team will remain forthright and continuously inform the public on the truth about developments in court and not hesitate to respond adequately to the NDC propaganda.