Sammy Gyamfi, the NDC National Communication Officer, has indicated that the President's suspension of the December 17 referendum is a fear of defeat.
This, according to him, shows that the NDC and all “No Vote” advocates have won and it is a "collective nationalistic decision to put Ghana first".
Sammy Gyamfi questioned the rationale behind the President's decision to cancel the entire exercise since his conviction was that "YES" votes would have secured a 75% of the valid votes cast.
" . . Why the cancellation of the referendum on grounds of lack of national consensus . . . Why waste the public purse like this . . .What national consensus does the president need again if he indeed has the support of 75% of voters?" he quizzed.
President Akufo-Addo announced to the entire nation yesterday that he has called off the referendum which was to take place on 17 December, 2019 due to a lack of "broad national consensus amongst the key stakeholders and the populace".
He indicated that the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama, MP, who is spearheading the process, on behalf of the government, to abort the process, and see to the withdrawal of the bills for the amendment of the Constitution, both in respect of Articles 243(1) and 55(3).
In his address to the nation, the President indicated that the attainment of a broad consensus, for him, on a matter as important as the amendment of an entrenched provision of the Constitution, is critical.
“I do not believe that such an amendment should be driven as a party matter. There has to be a clear national consensus and agreement amongst the populace that a particular entrenched provision no longer serves the interest of the people, and, thus, has to be removed,” he said.
Below is Sammy Gyamfi's full statement
At long last, President Akufo-Addo has chickened out of the December 17 referendum for fear of defeat.
This is a clear victory for the NDC and all “No Vote” advocates. Our collective nationalistic decision to put Ghana first has paid off.
And, did I hear the President say that he believes YES would have won if the referendum had come off? If that is so and the President sincerely believes that YES would have garnered the required 75% of the valid vote cast, then why the cancellation of the referendum on grounds of lack of national consensus? Why waste the Public purse like this? What national consensus does the President need again if he indeed has the support of 75% of voters?
For the records, it’s a barefaced lie that President Mahama agreed to the amendment of article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for the introduction of partisanship in our local government system as alleged by President Akufo-Addo. The attempt to use JM as a cover for this national embarrassment will not wash.
By the way, since when did President Akufo-Addo start to listen to any constructive suggestions from the NDC? Quite clearly, after wasting the public purse on this needless venture, the President ought to be giving us better accountability than these desperate blame games.
Mr President, you can cancel the December 17 referendum for fear of defeat, but you cannot cancel the impending defeat that awaits you on December 7th 2020.
Sammy Gyamfi
Source: ghanaweb.com
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THE SUSPENSION OF THE REFERENDUM IS IN NO WAY A DEFEAT FOR THE NPP AND A WIN FOR THE NDC AS SOME WANT TO CLAIM CREDIT FOR. IT WAS NOT A CONTEST TO DETERMINE WHICH OF THE TWO PARTIES WAS MORE POPULAR. SUCH A DETERMINATION WILL BE MADE AT THE POLLS IN DECEMBER 2020. NDC CANNOT CLAIM VICTORY COS EVEN SOME NPP DIEHARDS WERE OPPOSED TO THE REFERENDUM FROM DAY ONE. ARE THE NDC CLAIMING THESE NPP DIEHARDS WOULD VOTE FOR THEM IN THE ELECTIONS? PLEASE SPARE US THE PROPAGANDA. THIS POSTURING OF SAMMY GYAMFI SHOWS THE DIABOLIC INTENTIONS OF THE NDC WHEN IT SUDDENLY PULLED AWAY FROM AN EARLIER DECISION TO CAMPAIGN FOR A YES VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM. THE GOOD PEOPLE OF GHANA HAVE SEEN AND CONTINUE TO SEE THE TREACHERY THIS NDC PARTY REPRESENTS AND IN 2020 THEY WILL SEE THE REAL REFERENDUM ON THEIR BETRAYAL.
I WONDERED YESTERDAY WHY THE MOTION TO ELECT MMDCEs SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN TOGETHER WITH THE REFERENDUM TO DECIDE WHETHER POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL LEVEL ELECTIONS. THE TWO ISSUES ARE NOT THE SAME. I WAS ANGRY FOR THE MMDCEs ELECTION MOTION TO BE WITHDRAWN. UPON SECOND THOUGHT I SEEM TO AGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT. THE TWO PROVISIONS ARE NOT THE SAME AND ONE DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE OTHER, YET LIKE THE REFERENDUM THE NPP GOVERNMENT NEED NDC IN PARLIAMENT TO SUPPORT THE MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT. THE DECEPTION OF NDC TO ATTACK THE REFERENDUM MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE TRUSTED TO SUPPORT THE MOTION AS WELL. THE NPP GOVERNMENT CANNOT RELY ON NDC TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT MOTION TO ELECT THE MMDEs. THE SABOTAGE OF THE REFERENDUM REVEALS MUCH ABOUT NDC. FIRST NDC DID NOT LIKE CREATING OF SIX NEW REGIONS. THEY PRETENDED TO SUPPORT IT JUST FOR POLITICAL CONVENIENCE. THEY COULD NOT OPENLY OBJECT THE NEW REGIONS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT RESIST THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CITIZENS FROM THE NEW REGIONS. SO NOW IF GHANAIANS WANT TO ELECT THEIR MMDCES THEN THEY SHOULD VOTE NDC OUT OF PARLIAMENT IN 2020. WE NEED MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY OF NPP MPs IN 2020 SO THAT THEY CAN GET MORE THAT THE NEEDED TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT TO PASS SUCH EMOTIONS.
Ernest and Awwwwww Tweaaaa are you normal human beings? with mo policy to show, no vision you snd who go show Nana? look at this platform and see your strength , your strength is how any people talk for you from the bottom of their hearts not ndc serial caller with hundred names with the same message! In any case go to Adeiso in the upper West Akyem district in the Eastern region where the mp is DC and see the defection of the ndc to the npp and as them why before your show Nana ! politics is about numbers and if your people are defecting and reducing your number even in opposition and you still think of winning then you have a problem not forgetting the number that left ndc to join npp in the North East region! moho y3 sere papa ! tickle yourselves and laugh and don't see nothing wrong to worry about your party's unattractive nature! you think noise making and lying is hope? you think no policy ,no vision is hope for your footsoldiers? ndc footsoldiers have even seen if they help this government to stay longer they will benefit from the npp dreams and their lives will be better due to npp policies and visions which are all growing to benefit every Ghanaian! We welcome those Adeiso ndc footsoldiers over 400 who have seen the light that loving your country is better than loving a party that is not working and has no vision and dreams for the masses but only for some chosen individuals to enjoy.WELCOME HOME !!!
YOU THIS BOY DO U SLEEP ON PILLOW AT ALL RESPECT KAKRA WATI
THIS SAMMY GYAMFI GUY BEHAVES LIKE A SLASS ONE PUPIL- NEVER MAKE SENSE!
I hear say some NDC symoathisera gonna go court if government suspends the "yerefred)m. What are they waiting for?
Look at this infantile politician. The president has lost so what? And what do u mean by he lost? Lost what?? U guys were busy preaching 'NO' and others say they don't really understand what the issues are and so if the president upon consultation and advise has decided to withdraw the proposal u say he has lost?? ***barred word*** opposition! U oppose and oppose and oppose and one day, one day, u will oppose your own policy initiative... Wake up NDC!!
LOOK AT WHAT THIS CLASS ONE POLITICIAN IS SAYING. YOU LACK MATURITY.IT IS ONLY IN THE NDC YOU WOULD BE VOTED AS A NATIONAL ORGANISER. WE WERE MADE TO BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT CAN'T WITHDRAW THE BILL. GO TO COURT
So the intent of the NDC is to do propaganda and use it to argue that NDC has won? These are the kind of characters who want Ghanaians to hand them the nation once again to run. Their only motivation is dirty politics to win votes. The m0ron doesn't even see the need for "national consensus" on a matter as important as this. NDC is simply evil///
This is soo childish and infantile..bad faith..One day this issue will come and bite the NDC..So why did u agree in the first place?