Akufo-Addo wrote petitioners address himself – De Soso

National Women’s Organizer of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Anita De Soso, claims the 2012 Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, wrote the address for the petitioners which the Supreme Court ordered all the parties in the 2012 election litigation to file by 30th July 2013.

According to her, she is privy to inside information from the camp of the opposition party that the confidence which the NPP Flagbearer reposed in their lead counsel, Philip Addison, is wavering and even reached an all-time low as indicative in the frowns of disapproval on Nana Addo’s face when Lawyer Addison posed certain questions to a witness in the box.

She, however, stressed on Okay FM that irrespective of the fact that Nana Akufo-Addo wrote the address or not, there will be no difference in the verdict.

“…didn’t you notice that throughout the court proceedings, especially during the cross-examination, Nana Akufo-Addo was oftentimes unhappy with his (lawyer Addison’s) line of questioning…I can also tell you that address, which Nana Akufo-Addo wrote has angered Lawyer Philip Addison, he feels insulted….but you know, the fact that Nana Akufo-Addo wrote the address does not mean that he is a good lawyer, because he has not been able to pinpoint any solid evidence in their pleadings, which is contrary to the figures which were recorded at the coalition centers,” Anita said.

The NDC’s National Women’s Organiser also opined that the 16 boxes of addresses filed by the petitioners might lead to a delay in the declaration of the final ruling since all members of the panel will have to peruse the information brought before them.

The Supreme Court before it adjourned on July 17 ordered all the parties to file their addresses simultaneously on or before July 30, 2013.

All the parties - the petitioners, President John Dramani Mahama and the Electoral Commission, save the NDC, met the deadline and filed their written addresses at the Supreme Court Registry by the close of work on Tuesday in accordance with the court’s order. The NDC nearly risked being shut out after it managed to file on Wednesday July 31, 2013.

The petitioners address, a 176-page document, was submitted in both soft and hard copies at the court in 16 separate boxes by Mr Kweku Asirifi and Alex Quainoo.

Touching on the failure of some presiding officers to append their signatures at the end of the pink sheets, Anita De Soso said the court should have at least invited these presiding officers to question them why they fail to sign the pink sheets.

“…Personally, I believe there was a conspiracy between some of these presiding officers and the NPP not to sign the pink sheets in order to invalidate the results…that to me is why such a large number of officers did not append their signatures to the pink sheets,” she averred.

In a related development, Spokesperson for the 2012 presidential candidate’s legal team in the ongoing election petition trial, Madam Gloria Akuffo, has discounted the allegation that there is bad blood between Nana Addo and his lead Counsel Philip Addison.

“…There are rumours and it’s in the social media that he had a big fight with Lead Counsel Addison, but it’s completely a lie”.

According to the former Deputy Attorney General, “the first petitioner [Nana Akufo-Addo] has worked with us through out. Nana Addo has never sat back. We have worked as a team, not only as Lawyers. Those who think they can benefit from it, I wish them well”.