Afenyo Markin to be deputy Majority leader
The National Steering committee of the governing NPP has proposed the following persons to lead the party in the 8th parliament. Below are recommendations of the NPP Steering Committee Majority Leader maintains his position. Afenyo Markins as Deputy Majority Leader Annor Dompreh(Nsawam Adoagyiri MP) Chief Whip Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Mfansiman MP deputy Whip Habib Iddrisu Deputy Chief Whip The following are also being considered for Speaker of Parliament Justice Dotse Freddie Blay Mike Ocquaye A source however tells Starr News the President is backing the current speaker Mike Ocquaye Snr to continue as Speaker. Starr News Sources also say the President will appoint a maximum of 80 ministers and that all ministers who lost their seats will not be considered for appointments. The national council is expected to meet next week to confirm the list. Starr Fm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Dec. Polls Witnessed Worst Ever Electoral Manipulation In Ghana’s History – Kunbuor
Former Minister of Attorney, Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor says the recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections were characterized by strange manipulations never witnessed in the history of Ghana. According to him, it is a known fact that African elections are manipulated one way or the other but one will expect that in Ghana’s case that would have been done with a bit of sophistication and decency. Speaking at a programme in Accra to commemorate the 31st December Revolution on Thursday, the former Law Lecturer stated that never has Ghana’s election results been changed several times as has happened under the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission. “We have a very clear idea since 1993 that when elections are conducted the winner will normally take over and this country moves on. We do have some challenges from time to time but never did we ever experience a situation where election results have been declared, corrected, changed, amended, and possibly only God knows what will happen next.” Meanwhile, Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on December 30, 2020, petitioned the Supreme Court to annul the results of Election 2020. Ex-Mahama further wants the court to order for a re-run of the polls hence the need to issue a fiat restraining President Akufo-Addo from holding himself as the President-elect. Other reliefs Other reliefs sought by the Former President include a declaration that the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Mensa, breached the 1992 constitution, specifically Article 63(3) with the declaration that she made on December 9, 2020. Also, the former President is asking the apex court of the land to declare that based on the data contained in the declaration “ no candidate satisfied” the more than 50 percent threshold required to be declared a winner of the presidential poll. kasapafmonline.com Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Fomena MP-elect makes fresh demand
Member of Parliament-elect for Fomena Constituency Andrews Amoako Asiamah has called for the resignation of the entire constituency executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The call for the entire Fomena Constituency executives to resign, according to the MP-elect, falls in line with his laid down conditions to determine whether to rejoin the party or otherwise. The development puts the fate of the NPP to become the Majority in Parliament on the balance as the independent MP-elect intensifies demands before crossing carpet to the NPP in Parliament. The latest condition is for the dissolution of the entire executives as he maintains “the current crop of NPP executives in Fomena are corrupt, incompetent and I will not be able to work with such executives”. Speaking on Akoma FM‘s morning show GhanAkoma on Thursday, December 31, Special Aide to the MP-elect Seth Oduro described the current executives in Fomena as failures as he explained that “the executives have made it clear to us that they cannot work with lawyer Asiamah even if he crosses carpet to the NPP, therefore we have advised ourselves that it is likely the executives might sabotage us”. “That is why we are calling for their resignation as part of our conditions to rejoin the party and make it the Majority in Parliament.” This call comes at the back of the resignation of the Constituency Chairman Akwasi Nti Asamoah on health grounds. However, the MP-elect is of the view that “the resignation of the Constituency Chairman is not enough. The entire executives who failed the party must all resign else our decision to cross carpet will be withheld”. Meanwhile, Fomena Constituency Secretary Osei Mensah, who was fingered as one of the executives to resign, refuted the claims of the MP-elect. “As it stands, we the party executives do not recognize the MP-elect as one of us because according to the party’s constitution when one goes independent, he or she ceases to be part of the great NPP so we will treat his claims with the contempt it deserves.” 3 News Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Unforgettable: Akufo Addo’s appointees who lost their positions in 2020 due to….
Mr. Adjei was investigated by CHRAJ for corruption and conflict of interest after he was accused of sidestepping procurement procedures for personal gains. He was captured in an investigative piece put together by freelance journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure in 2019. He was subsequently suspended by the President in August 2019. President Akufo-Addo revoked the appointment of Deputy Minister of Communications Vincent Sowah Odotei. A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, said the MP for Gomoa West and current deputy minister for Health Alexander Kodwo Kom Abban now moves to the Communication Ministry as a Deputy Minister. It added that Dr. Bernard Oko-Boye, MP for Ledzokuku is now Deputy Minister-designate for Health. A Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah resigned from his position. This comes after he admitted breaching COVID-19 protocols by visiting a registration centre despite being aware that he has tested positive for the virus. The statement from the president’s office urged public officials to “provide leadership, at all times, for adherence to the protocols that have been established to help the nation defeat COVID-19.” But unfortunately, the Handsome young Minister was captured rather dancing Azonto style with those believe to be his supporters However, Martin Amidu also resigned as the Special Prosecutor and his resignation came as a to surprise every Ghanaian. Below is Martin Amidu’s full statement sighted by Apexnewsgh.com; This is to inform the public that I resigned from my position as the Special Prosecutor of the Office of the Special Prosecutor with immediate effect upon the submission of my letter of resignation with reference number OSP/2/AM/14 dated 16th November 2020 which was received at the Office of the President at 15:15 HRS this afternoon. I should not ordinarily be announcing my resignation to the public myself but the traumatic experience I went through from 20th October 2020 to 2nd November 2020 when I conveyed in a thirteen (13) page letter the conclusions and observations on the analysis of the risk of corruption and anti-corruption assessment on the Report On Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions and Other Matters Related Thereto to the President as Chairman of the National Security Council cautions against not bringing my resignation as the Special Prosecutor with immediate to the notice of the Ghanaian public and the world. In undertaking the analysis of the risk of prevention of corruption and anti-corruption assessment I sincerely believed that I was executing an independent mandate under the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Act, 2017 (Act 959) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L. I. 2374). The reaction I received for daring to produce the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions anti-corruption report convinces me beyond any reasonable doubt that I was not intended to exercise any independence as the Special Prosecutor in the prevention, investigation, prosecution, and recovery of assets of corruption. My position as the Special Prosecutor has consequently become clearly untenable. It is essential for me to state for the purpose of the records, and contrary to public perceptions, that my appointment letter was received on 5th February 2020 (almost two (2)-years after my appointment). The copy addressees made no efforts to honour any of the conditions of appointment in terms of emoluments and benefits of the appointment ever since my warrant of appointment was issued on 23rd February 2018 to the date of my letter of resignation. I accepted the offer on 10th January 2018 to be nominated to be Special Prosecutor because Mr. President, and Ghanaians knew I have been an anti-corruption crusader all my life and not an anti-corruption entrepreneur. This explains why I have never put the emoluments and benefits of the Office as central to my commitment and my passion for the establishment of an independent, effective, efficient and impartial anti-corruption Office of the Special Prosecutor before the end of the first term of Mr. President. This has not been possible for several reasons. The Deputy Special Prosecutor has also not been paid any emoluments since her appointment, and there is the need to redress that situation for her now that I am out of the way. The events of 12th November 2020 removed the only protection I had from the threats and plans directed at me for undertaking the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions anti-corruption assessment report and dictates that I resign as the Special Prosecutor immediately. Fear is the enemy of change and I am prepared from the vacuum created on 12th November 2020 to meet the threats of my demise as the price to pay for serving my country without fear or favour affection or ill will. I acted professionally through out in the discharge of my duties and my conscience is the anchor of my strength to face any consequences. I am grateful to every Ghanaian for both the support and criticisms during my tenure. When the real facts of my tenure become well known to the public in the future, history may judge me kindly. Ghana First! MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU, ESQ However, President Akufo Addo accepted Mr. Martin Amidu’s resignation in a a letter below. Acceptance Letter An acceptance letter directed by the President and signed by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, titled: Re: Resignation of Appointment As Special Prosecutor, said “this is to acknowledge receipt of your letter, dated November 16, 2020 (Ref: OSP/2/AM.14) addressed to the President of the Republic conveying to him your decision to resign from the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The President has taken due note of the other matters raised in your letter and the government will issue a statement responding to them in due course.” The letter said “the President has directed me to ensure that all emoluments and benefits due you under law are paid to you accordingly,” adding “The President thanks you for your service to the State and wished you the best in your future endeavors.” This article was together by Apexnewsgh.com, a groundbreaking and outstanding news website Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie
Mahama’s grounds for election petition drastic shift from initial stance – Samson Lardy Anyenini
Lawyer, Samson Lardi Anyenini has described the change in arguments made by the flagbearer of the NDC prior to submitting his election petition at the Supreme Court today as a “dramatic shift”. Following the National Democratic Congress’ unwillingness to accept the results of the elections as declared by the Electoral Commission on December 10, the NDC submitted their election petition to the Supreme Court today, December 30. Prior to the submission, the NDC had claimed that their candidate, former President Mahama had won the elections and as such should be declared president-elect. However, going by his petition today, Mr Mahama states that neither candidate won the election but rather, the votes obtained by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, President Nana Akufo-Addo and himself in the December 7, election as declared by the EC Chair were not enough to declare the winner. “The claim that percentage of votes obtained by the 2nd Respondent [Nana Akufo-Addo] was 51.595% [6,730,413] of the total valid votes that she distinctly stated to have been 13,434,574 was a manifest error, as votes cast for 2nd Respondent would amount to 50.098% and not the 51.595% erroneously declared.” Commenting on the former President’s address at a press conference this evening, Lawyer Samson Anyenini indicated that owing to the fact that the details of the petition will be subjected to the scrutiny of the highest order by the Apex Court, it was essential that former President Mahama present a case that will survive superior argument. Speaking to Israel Laryea on Joy News Prime, Mr Anyenini stated: “They’ve been talking about some of the evidence they have. They talk about [vote] padding and so on and so forth. That is their story and at this time, it is still their story. It will now go through the mill. It will be tested; tested in cross-examination tested in superior argument. “If their evidence and argumentations survive the test of judicial scrutiny, then they will win. But if the opponents bring a superior argument it is also possible that they will not win”. He continued: “We have heard words like ‘stolen verdict’, we have heard expressions like fictionalized and fraud those may not sit within the present suit, but when you hear claims that by the NDC’s own computation, [former] president Mahama had secured a win and that he ought to have been declared a winner. “Then you read the petition and it says President Mahama did not win, Akuffo-Addo did not win because neither made nor crossed the threshold of more than 50% of total valid votes therefore there ought to be a runoff. That is a dramatic shift from what you see in the court.” Myjoyonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
You know you didn’t win but told your protesters you won? – Ayikoi Otoo quizzes Mahama
Ghana’s high commissioner to Canada, Nii Ayikoi Otoo has questioned John Dramani Mahama for lying to his followers that he won. NDC protesters for the past weeks have been protesting on the streets for the Electoral Commission to declare John Dramani Mahama as winner of the 2020 election. According to them, there will be no peace if their flagbearer is not declared as the President of Ghana because he won the election. They shouted, “No Mahama, No Peace” in all their protests. But the NDC in its petition has indicated that the party acknowledges the fact that it did not win the election but seeks a re-election because to them, no one won the 2020 election because Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo did not get the needed percentage to be declared President. Reacting to the petition, Nii Ayikoi Otoo who is a leading member of the NPP could not fathom why John Dramani Mahama and the leadership of the NDC will lie to their followers and turn around to present such a petition to the Supreme Court. He said “Why did you tell your supporters you won the Presidential elections and not the President-elect; only to file a petition at the Supreme Court, to seek amongst others, a relief that the EC must re-run or conduct second Presidential elections, between the President and your good self because no candidate had 50 +1 Percentage of the VALID Votes cast? If you didn’t cross the 50% why did you claim victory with some supporters advocating in a reasonable manner that you should be sworn in as President come January 7, 2021”. My News Gh Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Error on NDC petition inconsequential – Ayine
The former Deputy Justice Minister under the previous John Mahama administration Dominic Ayine has dismissed claims that the error on the party’s petition against the 2020 elections will have any impact on their case. According to him, the error is inconsequential and can simply be corrected in court before the main case begins. “It is a very minor error and has no consequence…if we go to court our counsel can ask for the error to be corrected, this is not anything that we should waste our breath on,” Dr Ayine Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East and member of the NDC legal team said on GHONE TV Thursday. He explained that President Akufo-Addo was initially the 1st respondent when the petition was being drafted but that was later changed and the Electoral Commission was made the 1st respondent after suggestions from other lawyers. Dr Ayine added after that change, it is likely the party’s lawyer forgot to effect the changes throughout the entire petition reason why that minor error is found on the petition. In relief ‘F’ on the NDC petition challenging the 2020 elections filed on Wednesday, the party is seeking a re-run of the election between Mr Mahama and president-elect Nana Akufo-Addo but inadvertently stated that the re-run should be held between Mr Mahama and the Electoral Commission which has led to mockery on social media. Mr Mahama who was flagbearer of the NDC in the recent election filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Wednesday to formally challenge the results which saw President Akufo-Addo attaining the Presidency. Mr. Mahama in an address Wednesday night said: ”Some people have asked me what I hope to gain by challenging the results of this election. “Let me tell you: I want, perhaps, the very same thing that my opponent wanted when in 2012 he challenged the results of that election; I want the removal of doubt. I want for all of us to know that our elections should be free, fair, and safe—and that we do not have to settle for a process that leaves us confused, and with more questions than answers. I want a Ghana where institutions of state can be held to account”. He stressed: “Where we can stand on principle and demand transparency without the risk of losing our lives. When people lose their lives—as seven people did—in the course of our elections, we are moving backwards not forward; we are unraveling the very fabric of our democracy; we are risking the loss of three decades worth of progress. “When today we see armed military and militia in our collation centres and election outcomes declared at the point of a gun, for us who have witnessed our country’s journey through all its post-independence travails, we wonder if we have truly exorcised the ghosts of our tortuous past. We must continue to be a nation in which our young citizens have faith in our institutions, trust the rule of law, and rely on the presence of peace because there is justice”. Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Mahama’s ’empty’ election petition riddled with errors – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has punched holes into the election petition of the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, saying it was full of errors and empty. In a statement, the governing party said Mahama’s petition at the Supreme Court won’t wash because he presented “no material evidence of value in Court to support its blatantly false claims regarding the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.” As part of his reliefs being sought, Mahama wants the Supreme Court to restrain his opponent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from holding himself out as president-elect and call for a re-run by annulling the results of Electon 2020. The statement signed by the party’s director of communication, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said: “The NPP wishes to assure its supporters and the People of Ghana that the Legal Team of H.E. the President is ready to expose the emptiness of John Mahama’s Petition and the NDC’s denial of the electoral truth that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo indeed won this election without any iota of doubt.” “Our response will show that the NDC has presented no material evidence of value in Court to support its blatantly false claims regarding the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. They lied to their supporters that they had won and started referring to John Dramani Mahama falsely as the President-Elect.” “Now they have backtracked, settling futilely for a run-off which they themselves know will not happen. They have attempted and continue to use lies, threats, violence, and intimidation to seek forlornly to overrule the manifest will of the people as freely expressed on 7th December, 2020. “We are absolutely confident that the facts and figures as presented in court, even by the NDC, will very easily, in a transparent and indisputable manner, reaffirm the expressed will of the voting public that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won the 2020 Presidential Election “one touch” and convincingly so. Below is the full statement: The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of the filing of an Election Petition by John Dramani Mahama, challenging the declaration of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the validly elected and duly declared President-Elect of the Republic of Ghana. Indeed, the responsible, appropriate and democratic means of determining election disputes is by resort to the Courts. Better still, the process of filing a Petition in court ought to put to bed the many cases of intimidation, threats and acts of violence and arson and destruction of property, that have been the preferred path for the NDC. The NPP is assured that the 7th December 2020 Elections was won fair and square. Indeed, the evidence presented by the NDC has only reassured the people of Ghana that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won the elections. The fact of transparency of the General Elections was also resoundingly affirmed by the myriad of local and international observers that participated in the electoral process. It is quite curious that John Dramani Mahama, the NDC flagbearer and Petitioner, who grounds his Petition on supposed errors made by the Electoral Commission, has himself submitted a Petition fraught with errors, including requesting a run-off between himself and the Electoral Commission. It is also unfortunate that even after filing the Petition in court, the NDC led by John Dramani Mahama continues to incite supporters to pour onto the streets to cause chaos and anarchy. The NPP wishes to assure its supporters and the People of Ghana that the Legal Team of H.E. the President is ready to expose the emptiness of John Mahama’s Petition and the NDC’s denial of the electoral truth that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo indeed won this election without any iota of doubt. Our response will show that the NDC has presented no material evidence of value in Court to support its blatantly false claims regarding the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. They lied to their supporters that they had won and started referring to John Dramani Mahama falsely as the President-Elect. Now they have backtracked, settling futilely for a run-off which they themselves know will not happen. They have attempted and continue to use lies, threats, violence, and intimidation to seek forlornly to overrule the manifest will of the people as freely expressed on 7th December, 2020. We are absolutely confident that the facts and figures as presented in court, even by the NDC, will very easily, in a transparent and indisputable manner, reaffirm the expressed will of the voting public that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won the 2020 Presidential Election “one touch” and convincingly so. It must, however, be stressed that it is quite worrying that John Dramani Mahama, through his social media handles, continues to incite violence even as he invokes his right to use the court process to settle his grievance. He posted on his Facebook page and Twitter handle as follows; “While in court, the NDC will continue all legitimate actions, including protests, to demand the enforcement of the rule of law and protection of life and property of the good people of Ghana.” This is rather unfortunate and unbefitting of a former President of the Republic. It is obvious that the Petitioner himself has very little confidence in the Petition he is presenting and is still resorting to intimidation to overturn the express will of the people of Ghana. In his latest Press Conference, he explained he is going to court only “to remove doubt.” Does he need the Supreme Court to remove his doubts about losing the elections? The several attempts to use lies, threats, violence and intimidation to overrule the will of the People is disappointingly undemocratic of the NDC and its leader, John Dramani Mahama. By calling on his supporters to continue going on the streets, John Dramani Mahama has not only flagrantly flouted but also abused the Peace Pact signed on the 4th of December 2020 where he undertook amongst others, in the presence of witnesses and on National Television, “to accept the results of the elections and concede to the winner accordingly and to use judicial resolution of election disputes, where necessary.” We call on John Dramani Mahama to immediately
We’ve no evidence Mahama won presidential election – Ayine
The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East, and member of the NDC legal team, Dr Dominic Ayine, has stated that the party has no evidence that John Dramani Mahama won the 2020 presidential elections. The former Deputy Justice Minister in an interview on GHONE TV said the party has all times maintained that no candidate in the just ended December 7 election garnered enough votes to cross the 50 per cent margin to declared president-elect by the Electoral Commission chairperson. “We never said that we won the [presidential] election, if we were convinced that we won this election we would have stated that in the petition,” he said Thursday morning. According to Dr Ayine, party members who were part of the electoral process and have had access to the evidence of vote padding in favour of president-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are the ones who have intimated that the election was stolen from Mr Mahama. Mr Mahama who was flagbearer of the NDC in the recent election filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Wednesday to formally challenge the results which saw President Akufo-Addo attaining the Presidency. Mr. Mahama in an address Wednesday night said: ”Some people have asked me what I hope to gain by challenging the results of this election. “Let me tell you: I want, perhaps, the very same thing that my opponent wanted when in 2012 he challenged the results of that election; I want the removal of doubt. I want for all of us to know that our elections should be free, fair, and safe—and that we do not have to settle for a process that leaves us confused, and with more questions than answers. I want a Ghana where institutions of state can be held to account”. He stressed: “Where we can stand on principle and demand transparency without the risk of losing our lives. When people lose their lives—as seven people did—in the course of our elections, we are moving backwards not forward; we are unraveling the very fabric of our democracy; we are risking the loss of three decades worth of progress. “When today we see armed military and militia in our collation centres and election outcomes declared at the point of a gun, for us who have witnessed our country’s journey through all its post-independence travails, we wonder if we have truly exorcised the ghosts of our tortuous past. We must continue to be a nation in which our young citizens have faith in our institutions, trust the rule of law, and rely on the presence of peace because there is justice. Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Mahama did not receive number of votes credited to him – Mac Manu
The Campaign Chairman for New Patriotic Party (NPP), says one of the party’s objectives heading into the election petition is to prove that NDC’s John Mahama did not obtain the total number of votes he was credited with. Peter Mac Manu said NPP’s legal team, led by former President of the Greater Accra Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Frank Davies, are adequately prepared to prove the party’s assertion. “We believe, and will prove in Supreme Court that even John Mahama did not receive the number of votes that have been credited to him. We’re going to show that during the course of the trial,” he told Joy News’ Emefa Apawu Thursday night. In his petition to the Supreme Court Wednesday, Mr Mahama said, “The claim that percentage of votes obtained by the 2nd Respondent [Nana Akufo-Addo] was 51.595% [6,730,413] of the total valid votes that she distinctly stated to have been 13,434,574 was a manifest error, as votes cast for 2nd Respondent would amount to 50.098% and not the 51.595% erroneously declared.” He said the 1st Respondent in her December 9 declaration said the NDC candidate obtained 6,214,889 being 47.366% of the valid votes. “From the total votes cast of 13,434,574, petitioner’s percentages would reduce to 46.260% and not the 47.366% erroneously declared. “The percentage attribute to all but one of the other candidates by Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa were all incorrect,” he said. Mr Mahama said the percentage of all the valid votes for the 12 contesting candidates “would yield a total of 100.03%.” This he said is a “mathematical and statistical impossibility, a further proof of the wrongfulness and unconstitutionality of the purported declaration” Among other things, the petition is on the grounds that “the purported declaration of the results of the 2020 Presidential Election on the 9th day of December 2020 is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.” But Mr Mac Manu maintains the NPP legal team of of between 10 to 12 lawyers is adequately prepared and ready to face the opposition party at the Supreme Court. “My team of lawyers are already dissecting the NDC’s petition, and are also assembling their own documents,” he said. Myjoyonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.