The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced it will not participate in the inauguration ceremony for President John Dramani Mahama on December 7, 2012.
Confirming the decision on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, General Secretary of the party, Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie indicated that attending the ceremony would be in conflict with the NPP’s petition filed at Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2012 elections.
The NPP on December 28, filed a suit at the Registry of the Supreme Court challenging the results of the December elections claiming it was rigged in favour of the NDC.
The three named plaintiffs in the suit are Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential candidate of the NPP in the 2012 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate of the NPP presidential candidate and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Chairman of the NPP.
According to Mr Afriyie: “Well there are several processes and like we said, Article 64 (2) of the Constitution is very emphatic on that. A declaration by the Supreme Court that the election of the President is not valid shall be without prejudice to anything done by the President before the declaration and for us that means that the Supreme Court is constitutionally free to rule against the declared results with the effect of nullifying the inauguration of the 7th of January.”
He added that the NPP will not have any difficulties with its MPs because the “Supreme Court’s rules are very clear. Again there are two or three processes to go into. The members of Parliament, before they are sworn in or take their Oath of Office, the speaker would also have to be elected by members of Parliament and its deputy. Having done so members of Parliament will take the Oath before the Speaker of Parliament. All these are processes that have to do with the parliamentary processes whatever there is left [to be] done under the Executive arm, we will not take part.
According to him, the decision was taken at the a National Executive Council meeting where changes were also made to the leadership of the party in parliament.
Former President Kufuor to attend President Mahama’s inauguration
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor will be attending the inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama at the Independence Square on Monday, 7th January following an invitation he had received from the state.
A statement signed by his Spokesperson, Mr Frank Agyekum, said the former President would be at the ceremony in his capacity as a former President of the Republic of Ghana.