Dec 7th Election Date�Akufo Addo Had A Hand In This � Kofi Adams

Campaign Coordinator of the ruling NDC, Kofi Adams says the Minority in Parliament’s last minute decision to vote against the Constitutional amendment to change the date of Ghana’s general elections from December to November was influenced by the NPP’s flag bearer Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo.

Mr Adams claims he has credible information leaked by some key NPP members about a closed door meeting with Nana Addo during which highlighted the need for more time for him to campaign.

“I can tell you on authority that the flag bearer had a hand in this matter. If you recall when the Electoral Commission met the various political parties at the IPAC level, they all agreed the day for the elections should be brought forward to give more room for the transitional process. In fact when you listen to them they keep saying they are for the date in principle until they met their flag bearer who said he wasn’t in favour and that’s what we’ve just witnessed. This is pure “deceit” on the part of the opposition NPP. So you see as we’ve always told Ghanaians we can’t trust the NPP. They made Ghanaians believe they wanted this so much… now they are running away and want to put the blame on the Electoral Commission.” Mr Adams told Moro Awudu on CLASS FM’s current affairs programme, INSIDE POLITICS.

Parliament on Thursday rejected a proposal to change the voting date from the traditional December 7 to November 7. 125 members voted 'Yes' in favour of the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016 and 95 voted 'against. The House needed a total of 184 'Yes' votes required.

Mr Kofi Adams who is also the National Organizer of the NDC, added that he is as he put it, “very highly disappointed and I’m happy this debate was not done in secrecy, but before all Ghanaians. The NPP has proven its anti-Ghana behavior. For them it is about them and not what the people of this country want. As for us in NDC we have no doubt at all we are winning the elections and because we are winning, the issue of transition is not a problem.”

On Minority’s claim that the EC is not adequately prepared for the polls, Mr. Adams described the reason as laughable. He said for the first time the EC has extended its registration exercise to twenty days and not seven days as was previously the case. The extension meant more resources and more cash to undertake the exercise and so it couldn’t be true the ECisn’t ready.

He stressed, “NPP has deceived Ghanaians and the EC has spoken clearly that they are more than ready. It is an admission that they [NPP] won’t win… they know this government is going to carry on and if there is no need for any transition purposes why look for more time.”

NPP’s Director of Elections, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, who was also on the program,expressed surprise at NDC’s resolve to rope in Nana Akufo Addo in any topical issue that generates national debate.

“I am not surprised at all that the NDC has dragged in the name of our flag bearer into this matter. It’s because they like cheap propaganda. What has Nana Addo got to do with this issue? We have said that the EC is not ready and that’s it so. We will support any change in the elections date but if we are not convinced so be it.  Look, as we speak, the fundamental document the EC will be relying on for the elections is faulty. NHIS card registrants have been deleted butguess what they ended up deleting persons who have never even seen an NHIS card in the entire lives. The process is been chaotic and so how can you tell us you are ready” he argued.

Meanwhile rumours are rife the NPP is buying time to raise money for the campaign. A source linked to one of the factions within the party claims even incumbent MPs are worried about the development and some have decided to hold on till few weeks to the main elections to push in the little resource they can manage to raise.