The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper,
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has called on the supporters of the opposition New
Patriotic Party to address their grievances in the law court and not at Obra
Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The supporters have since encamped themselves at
the Obra Spot in protest against the electoral results that were announced by
the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan.
The results placed the incumbent President John
Dramani Mahama ahead of the 2012 Presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo Addo.
Nana Addo polled 47.74% of electoral votes to come
second in the Presidential race while President-elect John Mahama polled 50.70%
to outwit his contenders.
The leadership of the NPP has since last Friday
challenged the accuracy of the polls and therefore threatened to embark on a
court action against the governing National Democratic Congress.
The NPP stalwarts and supporters have accused Dr.
Afari Gyan of colluding with the NDC functionaries to rob them of their victory
in the December polls.
They allege the votes were rigged amounting to
electoral fraud and are therefore preparing to lay their evidence before court
for a redress.
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, in an interview on Metro
TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on Thursday, said the NPP should leave the
Obra Spot which has become habitation for some of the party supporters.
He implored the party to rather advance their legal challenge against
the ruling NDC in the law court.
He explained that the supporters swarming the area
could undermine the confidence that people have reposed in the party’s
grievances and also violate the laws of the land.
To him, the public turbulence by the supporters is
not the possible way out and, so, asked them to vacate the area.
He added that the attacks meted out to journalists
whose media houses declared the election of President Mahama even before EC’s
declaration is a more reason “why it is critical that the crowds are moved out
of the streets.”
He admonished the leadership of the party to render
an apology to the media practitioners who fell prey to the supporters and also
put in place measures to compensate the media houses.
. “I am not saying they asked the crowd to go and
attack journalists but I am holding the leaders responsible.”
“The NPP’s track record relative to media freedoms
is impeccable.”
“If the NPP leadership does not take steps to
mitigate these, the damage will become irredeemable.” he said.
Meanwhile, former Information Minister in President
Kufour’s regime, Oboshie Sai-Coffie has indicated that the party has prepared
apology letters that will be in circulation to the affected media organizations
on Thursday, December 13.
She added that the leadership is arranging to hold
talks with the journalists who were attacked by the incensed NPP supporters.
Source: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw
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