<<Print>>

The New Patriotic Party has described President John Dramani Mahama's recent remark that the outcome of the election petition suit will show that the governing NDC won �cleanly in free and fair elections� as "irresponsible, disrespectful of the judiciary" and "designed to intimidate" the nine Supreme Court Judges hearing the case. On Monday, President Mahama met with executives and members of the NDC at the party�s headquarters in Accra on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the formation of the party and stated that the when the court finally reads out its verdict, it will show that the governing NDC won �cleanly in free and fair elections.� But the opposition party, in a statement issued today and signed by its General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, believed the remarks to be "prejudicial" and cautioned the president and any of his appointees to refrain from passing further comments "calculated to put undue pressure on the court to rule in his favour." "The President should respect the doctrine of separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and the responsibilities of parties not to make prejudicial statements in cases that they are involved in which are before the court," the statement said. Read a copy of the NPP's statement below. The attention of the New Patriotic Party has been drawn to certain statements, in a spate of just 3 days, made by President John Dramani Mahama and Felix Kwakye Ofosu, deputy Information Minister, all to the effect that that Supreme Court will declare that the NDC, and for that matter John Dramani Mahama, won the December 2012 polls �cleanly.� For John Mahama, who is the 1st respondent in the presidential election petition, to come out emphatically and state that the Supreme Court judges will show that he won �cleanly in free and fair elections�, is deeply unfortunate. As though this is not enough Felix Kwakye Ofosu, deputy Minister of State, has bet his life that the NPP will lose the election petition currently before the Supreme Court. The NPP would like to make it clear to the president and government spokespersons to refrain from making such reckless statements intended to bring the administration of justice into disrepute The President should respect the doctrine of separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and the responsibilities of parties not to make prejudicial statements in cases that they are involved in which are before the court. His statement that the judges will rule in his favour was irresponsible, disrespectful of the judiciary, prejudicial to the election petition and designed to intimidate the nine judges hearing the petition. President Mahama should stop making any such further statements calculated to put undue pressure on the court to rule in his favour. The interest of the nation in this case should serve enough notice to him that Ghanaians expect nothing less than JUSTICE! ....signed...... Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie NPP General Secretary