Statement presented by the progressive people’s party (PPP) at a press conference to address misrepresentations relating to the refusal of the Electoral Commission (EC) to accept nomination papers of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom on Monday, 24th October 2016.
Introduction
Good afternoon distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen and thank you for accepting our invitation to this press conference.
The PPP wishes to use this opportunity to address the media, party supporters and sympathizers as well as the good people of Ghana on some misrepresentations circulating in the media as regards to the EC’s refusal to accept the nomination papers of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, the 2016 Flag bearer of the PPP, and other recent worrying developments. We believe the misrepresentations are part of a grand design to further the EC and its collaborators and other state sponsored institutions’ dangerous agenda to exclude the PPP from the Presidential Race.
A well-structured party
On 10th October 2016, the Electoral Commission of Ghana held a Press Conference to announce the purported disqualification of our Presidential candidate and 11 others from contesting the 2016 Presidential elections.
Contrary to the ECs error of judgment which we are contesting in court, we wish to state categorically that the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) shall contest the 2016 elections. We are convinced at this point that these despicable maneuverings are orchestrated by our opponents, who are uncomfortable with the growth of the party. The inroads we have made, the support the party is gaining, the deep positive impacts on the lives of many Ghanaians in all districts in Ghana undoubtedly see an obvious PPP-led victory in the coming 2016 elections.
The PPP is united, disciplined and focused on selling our good message to Ghanaians. We have the best policy priorities to present to the voters. We have assembled the best men and women who will give the best leadership to Ghanaians from January 2017. We are the party committed to changing the 1992 constitution to empower the people to elect their own DCEs, separate the executive from the legislature and separate the office of Attorney General from that of the Ministry of Justice. We are the political party focusing on job creation, and determined to make Ghanaian state institutions use the government’s purchasing power to buy from local businesses. We want to set the record straight that the PPP is well structured at the Constituency, Regional and National levels. The Party has offices in more than 2/3rds of the districts as required by the Political Parties Law, Act 574.
Article 17 (1) of the 1992 Constitution says “All persons shall be equal before the law.
2. A person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, social, or economic status”.
Propaganda over Completion of Forms:
We are the least surprised about the misrepresentations out there that the PPP cannot complete a nomination form. And strangely, very strangely that Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom cannot complete a form? This misinformation my brothers and sisters is child’s play at its best. The Electoral Commission through a programme dubbed “ASK THE EC” hosted by one Samson Ayenini which was transmitted on GTV and their media outlets stated among others that candidates were given the opportunity to correct anomalies on the form. The PPP and its flag bearer, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, however, was not given that opportunity.
This should inform Ghanaians that there were mistakes on everybody’s form. It will therefore be unfair to judge the competence, commitment and dedication of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom on an error on his nomination form. We wish to reiterate that Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom’s competence, commitment, and dedication cannot be overemphasized.
We want to lay emphasis that Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom’s active role in politics began in 1997 when he was elected as a member of the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem District Assembly for the Akotobinsin Electoral Area. He contested as a Member of Parliament in 2000, and 2004 and as a Presidential Candidate in 2008 and 2012.
His educational qualifications, experience, achievements and status are recognized and respected by all, not only in Ghana, but internationally.
As we speak now – Dr. Nduom’ business conglomerate spans across Africa, Europe and America, and is operating with distinction.
Abuse of Power by State Institutions:
As a party, we believe in building stronger state institutions. We consider the security agencies, including the Military, BNI, CID and the police as important stakeholders in ensuring the stability of the nation, and security for all Ghanaians. On Friday, 21st October, 2016, an Accra radio station reported on their website that the CID boss, Mr. Joseph Benefo Darkwah has issued an arrest warrant for Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom to appear before the police Criminal Investigative Department by close of day, Friday, 21st October, 2016 or risk being arrested by the police.
As a professional institution with the benefit of knowing the residence of where Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom lives, we are extremely disappointed that the CID boss would use the media as the channel to invite him instead of the appropriate administrative procedure. This was nothing but to create a false impression, fear and panic in this country. We wish to state that Dr. Nduom is a law abiding citizen who will not do anything to jeopardize the peace and stability of this country. As a party, we support Betty Williams’ saying that” …non- violence is not the weapon of the weak. It is the weapon of the strong”.
We woke up today to be greeted with a ridiculous front page publication in the Daily Graphic that the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has given our flagbearer Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom up to Wednesday, October 26, 2016, to explain the source of Ghc1.7million cedis that was paid as filing fees to the Electoral Commission on behalf of the party’s parliamentary candidates. We are extremely disappointed in this deliberate Machiavellian tactics from a state sponsored institution to attempt to disgrace Dr Nduom in such an unfortunate manner.
The PPP is a law abiding political party and we are always guided by the political parties’ law, Act 574. Section (1) which says “the political party shall within six months from 31st December of each year file with the commission
(A) return in the form specified by the Commission indicating:
(i) the state of its accounts
(ii) the sources of its funds
(iii) membership dues paid
(iv) Contributions or donations in cash or kind
(v) the properties of the party and time of acquisition
(vi) such other particulars as the commission may reasonably require, and
(b) audited accounts of the party for the year
Section 22 (1) says “The Commission may by writing upon state grounds request an executive officer of a political party to furnish for inspection by the Commission records of the party or such other information as is reasonably required by the commission to enable it ensure that the provisions of this Act are complied with.
The Party has complied with this law and submitted the necessary documents as required by law since 20th May 2016 of which the EC acknowledged receipt. We will submit our next source of funding and any other documentation to the EC by June 2017 as required by law.
We are surprised at the behavior of EOCO – an institution which is supposed to be “A specialized agency to monitor and investigate economic and organized crime, and on the authority of the Attorney General to prosecute these offences to recover the proceeds of crime and provide for related matters” being used for intimidating political opponents. Where is the fairness in this act by EOCO? What crime has Dr Papa Kwesi committed for him to be crucified in such a manner? If EOCO wants Ghanaians to take them seriously, why are they not investigating all the other presidential candidates who have managed to pay their filing fees well in excess of what the PPP has paid? Why the deliberate application of selective injustice? When the EC made the mistake of issuing a receipt of GhC1,700 to the party rather than the Ghc1.7million paid as filing fees, did this not warrant EOCO’s investigation? Has EOCO now realized that they have a job to do?
Conclusion:
The PPP expects the 2016 elections to be truly free, fair and inclusive. To that end, we call on all stakeholders – particularly civil society organizations, international organizations, observers, members of the diplomatic corps, religious bodies, academic institutions, farmers, fishermen, the media, market women, traders and youth groups to support the PPP to campaign against unfairness and arbitrariness in our body politics. We wish to also state forcefully that the basis of our political system is the right of the people to decide on who becomes the President of Ghana and that right cannot be exchanged for anything.
It is obvious that our democracy is under attack! We believe in the saying that “the true test of a nation that wants to develop is how society reacts to abuse of its systems”.
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for your attention. We wish to state finally that a democracy reaches out to everyone not just the party in power.
Source: NewsGhana.com.gh
