The largest opposition party, the NPP, is in desperate search of grey arrears in the Supreme Court ruling to wage another legal battle against the Electoral Commission.
The NPP’s strategy is to disrupt the EC’s timetable as it struggles to give it space to mobilize more funds to run the 216 electioneering campaign.
Lawyers friendly to the party are exploring all possible scenarios to give to their front man, Abu Ramadan, who has tried in vain to use the Supreme Court to compel the EC to compile a new Voters’ register or validate name captured already.
One of the lawyers of the Plaintiffs, Frank Davies, has already given hint to that effect. He has told a couple of Accra-based radio stations the order to the EC to delete any other name found to have been registered with an NHIS card confirms their argument that the list of 56, 739 names presented to Court by the Commission is spurious and that any person who registered with an NHIS card can voluntarily go to the EC and ask for the deletion of his name and be re-registered properly.
“The Electoral Commission should be ready to make the process transparent and open up, so that we can monitor. This order even takes precedence over C.I 91, so that is to say, promulgate a new law to look at how to delete the names,†Abu Ramadan told Accra-based Class FM.
Intelligence gathered indicates some key Nana Addo loyalists and leading members of a think tank met at a safe house in East Legon to review their strategy and the way forward. They admitted the road will be tough and the Supreme Court is becoming fed up.
Meanwhile, political pressure group, IMANI Ghana is also stoking some controversy. One of its founding members, Franklyn Cudjoe describes the ruling as a demonstration of legal activism.
In his Facebook post he wrote, “I knew the Supreme Court doubted the 56,000 NHIS number the EC presented when it said any other names aside the 56,000 that pops up in the voter register must be expunged. Well so there you are. Meanwhile I see the election being held in December 2016 or even January 2017.â€
Since August 2012, when the NPP lost its Election Petition case, the party has been bastardizing the Electoral Commission to discredit it to appease foot soldiers disappointed in Nana Akufo-Addo for failing twice in his bid to become President.
After the exit of former EC Chairman, Dr Kwado Afari Gyan, the party has turned its guard dogs on Charlotte Osei.
Deep throat sources within the NPP Campaign team say the party is broke. Donor fatigue is affecting efforts to raise money and their last hope was to fall on the Supreme Court to call for a new register. That according to one informant, would have given some hope to a few financiers still uncertain about the party’s chances.
“Now it’s clear the EC won’t compile a new voter’s register. We spent time debating this voter register on radio when we could have been on the ground campaigning. They want us to believe we won the case. But what is 56,000. Even if all are deleted and not replaced, it can’t win us the election,†he lamented.
“Dr Bawumia should have known this. He gave us false hope and abandoned the fight chasing teachers and nurses assuring them of jobs. With four months to the elections, what can Nana Addo do especially when he is not very fit,†he added.
“Physically, the 72-year old Nana Akufo-Addo cannot match President John Mahama. The NDC will obviously abuse incumbency while the NPP, an already divided party will limp behind. How can any party in this state assure anyone victory is coming,†George Kyei, an NPP fanatic frankly said.
There are already signs, Nana Akufo-Addo is losing grounds in the Ashanti region as major government infrastructure projects especially in Kumasi begin to take shape. They followed the overwhelming support and warm welcome accorded the President during his recent Accounting to the People Tour of the region.
Nana Addo’s popularity was virtually tested when attempts to unseat the Manhyia North MP in their primaries failed.