The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lambasted the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for what it described as a breach of faith regarding the impending referendum seeking to amend Article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution to pave way for the sponsorship of candidates by political parties at the local level.
The opposition party made a u-turn last week when after agreeing to support a ‘Yes’ Vote said it was now supporting a ‘No’ Vote to maintain the status quo at the local level.
According to the NPP it was clear that, in spite of a consensus reached by all the political parties as well as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), faith-based organizations and other key stakeholders to push for the amendment of the entrenched clause in the constitution, the NDC was up to mischief and propaganda.
At a heavily attended news conference yesterday, NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, said “until the announcement last Tuesday, November 12, 2019, the NDC had, all this while, been cooperating constructively with government, in Parliament and elsewhere, with the NPP, the Electoral Commission, other political parties, faith-based organizations, traditional authorities, CSOs and all other stakeholders for the success of the referendum in returning an emphatic YES verdict.”
He said “that is why all the political parties, civil society groups, the media and the general public all appear surprised, confused and even hoodwinked by the NDC’s abrupt U-turn last Tuesday, barely five weeks to the referendum of December 17.”
He described the action of the NDC as “nothing else but an unpatriotic betrayal of the Ghanaian people.”
He added that “such a naked show of dishonesty, deceit, indecision, lack of candour and integrity from the biggest opposition party in the country projects a perception that the NDC would sacrifice the national interest at the altar rather, where cheap political points are scored.”
Mr Boadu said “there is a strong school of thought that the only thing that can explain the NDC’s unexpected U-turn is that they are fully aware of the difficult task of getting the amendment through without a consensus; knew all thus along, but pretended they were in favour until this last minute when huge state resources have been committed.”
Propaganda Victory
According to him, by urging their supporters to vote ‘No’, the NDC by this ‘frivolous game’ hopes to register a curious propaganda ‘victory’ as we enter election year in 2020.”
Critical Question
“We are curious to know why after making declarations at national and public fora and engagements, including at the Catholic Bishops Conference, several fora organised by CSOs, particularly IDEG, the launch by Coalition of CSOs, the launch of Citizens’ Education And Awareness Campaign by the NCCE and the Information Service Department, among others, the NDC is now going back on their word and pledge?” he quizzed.
Minority Assertions
Mr. Boadu quoted what some of the NDC leading members said on the floor of parliament during the second reading of the Amendment Bill on July 29, 2019 as captured by the Parliamentary Hansard on that day and said the NDC’s posture shows they are unpatriotic.
