<<Print>>

Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has expressed his disappointment at the way the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is handling the Supreme Court ruling as far as seeking for review is concerned. According to him, the party risks being tagged as lacking decisive action at the leadership level and urged that the NPP�s �communication on this matter does not suffer from internal incoherence�. �There is some inconsistency that is driving the communication relating to whether they will seek for review or not. How can the first petitioner (Nana Akufo Addo) publicly declare that they will not seek a review; something which their National Council has also endorsed then you will have the party�s General Secretary saying there is a possibility for review because of what lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata had said?�. The seasoned journalist is of the opinion that once comments by Lead Counsel for the Third Respondent in the election petition case, Tsatsu Tsikata, have been denounced by a large section of the public, it should not be the basis for the General Secretary or the party to consider going to seek for review. Kweku Baako�s was speaking to the recent brouhaha surrounding the NPP and their decision to seek for review after lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata, had alleged that one of the nine justices who presided over the election petition case at the Supreme Court; Justice Anin-Yeboah allowed his political affiliation to cloud his judgement. Eventhough Nana Akufo-Addo has accepted the court's verdict and has declared his intention not to pursue the matter any further, Sir John later disclosed to the media that the petitioners will hold consultations with the National Executive Council (NEC), for a possible review despite the first petitioner�s statement. According to Mr. Owusu-Afriyie, the flagbearer was not the only one who took the matter to court so his decision cannot hold down that of his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and party Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. Backing Sir John�s call is the NPP�s National Chairman, who also stated that the party will seek a review of the Election Petition case at the Supreme Court judgment if it finds that the ruling was influenced by political affiliations as alleged by Tsatsu Tsikata. According to Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, the party is not bound to stick to an earlier decision it made during a National Council meeting held days before the landmark ruling. In that meeting they decided not to seek a review of the decision if it went against them. But contributing to discussions on PeaceFM�s �Kokrokoo�, Kweku Baako said: �It doesn�t make sense to me. It does not show a certain level of strength intellectually�it is not what I expect from the caliber of the people who man this party. The inconsistency, the lack of clarity and the confusion is not right. It gives the impression that the earlier assertion not to go for a review was premature or that Nana Akufo Addo took that decision alone. But it is a firm solid decision which should not be swayed by these ugly noises�I am disappointed in this whole conflicting signals emanating from the leadership of the party. I expected consistency and clarity�. Kweku Baako who seems to be fed-up with some recent pronouncements of the NPP Chief Scribe, added: �The last person who should do serious communication for the NPP is their General Secretary�this point about Nana running for 2016; is that the right thing to say now, when the man himself says I am taking a back seat to reflect? Political intellect is not studied in the classroom, not even in the faculty of political science. You don�t throw things out there; it can even divide the party and provide ammunition for party detractors�his communication and his sense of timing is not helpful�.