A leaked NPP internal MEMO, issued immediately after the Supreme Court orders On Tuesday July 5, 2016 has exposed the party’s double standard.
The MEMO signed by acting General Secretary John Boadu after the party lost their wish to use the court to compel the EC to validate the voters register gave clear directives to Regional Secretaries, Organizers and Research Officers on what to do ahead of the Electoral Commission’s voter register exhibition and how to re-register NHIS card holders
The EC has served notice the voter exhibition begins next Monday, July 18 and will publish plans to re-register all NHIS card holders whose names will be deleted.
Interestingly, the NPP which has consistently used the media to undermine the credibility of the institution seems to be ahead of EC’s programmes because the Commission’s announcement was dated Friday, July 8th but NPP’s memo was released on July 5.
Key party officials have already given hint of another desperate attempt to use the courts to delay EC’s timetable towards the 2016 elections, yet the same party is organizing itself ahead of the EC exercise which begins next Monday.
Last week, an NPP Deputy General Secretary, Nana ObiriBoahen and John Kumah, a member of the party’s Communication’s team last week warned the EC to release all data of its Form 1A and involve all political parties in cleaning the list of NHIS card bearers or face another court action soon.
John Kumah who was emphatic on Asempa FM’s EnkosiSen, a political talk show programme last Friday said EC must take the free advice or blame itself for any further action that could disrupt the election.
But the leaked internal MEMO,issued on July 5, 2016 by action General Secretary John Boadu, has exposed NPP’s dirty agenda to plunge the nation into chaos as defeat stares at their 72-year old Presidential candidate.
It is the latest evidence showing NPP’s full commitment to EC programmes ahead of the general elections but is using all means possible slowdown processes and to discredit the same institution.
Key functionaries of the party including the party leader himself, Nana AkufoAddo, Communications Director, Nana Akomeah, Nana AbiriBoahene a deputy Chief Scribe of the party who once served as Deputy Interior Minister under the Kufuor Administration, MP for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong have already began inciting foot soldiers against the EC and its Chair Charlotte Osei.
In the NPP July 5 MEMO, the executives have been directed to immediately recruit agents for the exercise. It urged them to identify loyal members, resident at polling stations, literate, should be able to do basic arithmetic and be able to speak local dialect.
It also strongly advised the executives to ensure those to be recruited are non-bribable, bold, physically fit and committed to work.
While John Boadu’s statement instructs the party to end the recruitment exercise by Tuesday July 12, NPP and its agents including IMANI Ghana are still using other platforms including social media to create uncertainty, fear and panic among electorates.
It is unclear if the party will use the same Abu Ramadan, a former PNC executive or hire a fresh face to file a fresh suit rather than further interpretation of the Supreme Court orders on July 5.
Meanwhile credible information available to this newspaper indicates series of meetings by architects of the ‘DESTROY EC CREDIBILITY’ agenda and some legal brains to explore all possible windows to drag the litigation against the EC. A source fed up with what he describes as a fruitless exercise that is giving false hope to their grassroots supporters alleges the NPP is considering the Supreme Courts advise “that any other person found to have used NHIS cards must be deleted”, as a good bait.
The Electoral Commission is expected to publish how it intends to register the over 56,000 NHIS card holders whose names will be deleted this week. A news release issued on July 8th and signed by Deputy Chair in charge of Corporate Services, Mrs. Georgina OpokuAmankwaa assured the public of concrete steps to fully comply with the Supreme Court directive. The EC release also said modalities for the exhibition of the 2016 provisional register, which will take place in all polling and exhibition centers will be published.
Meanwhile all is set for the by-election in the Abetifi constituency of the Eastern region. The Electoral Commission (EC) has set Saturday, July 16, 2016, to hold a by-election in Abetifi Constituency in the Eastern Region. A release from the Commission Friday says the date was moved from July 19 in order to make way for the planned exhibition of the voter’s register, which scheduled for July 18, 2016.
“All contesting parties have been given due notice of the change, and the Commission has put adequate measures in place to ensure a smooth electoral exercise,” said the statement signed by Head of Communication at the Commission, Erick Dzakpasu.
The Abetifi Constituency seat became vacant following the death of Peter Pepera, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for the Constituency on May 21.
The governing NDC has served notice it will not participate in the election.
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