Empty NDC begged for NPP constitution to draft theirs - Gyemfi

Mr. Asamoah Gyemfi, a communications officer with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has alleged that the current constitution of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is a "copy cat" of their constitution.

The outspoken politician in an interview with Kwame Tutu on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM further alleged that the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, E.T Mensah in 2001 walked into the office of the NPP and begged Dan Botwe to give him a copy of their constitution to enable them [NDC] study and draft theirs.

"In 2001, E.T Mensah walked into our party office in Kokomlemle and Dan Botwe gave him a copy of our constitution because they claimed they wanted to write a constitution."

Mr. Gyemfi has challenged Ghanaians to ask the legislator if they doubt his allegations.

"They looked at our party's constitution to draft theirs... The NDC in 1992 said they believe in consensus, and so they were not voting...We [NPP] were organising Congress from the polling station to the constituency level, but the NDC said we were anarchies...They came for our constitution because they needed to re-brand NDC, and write a new constitution...Read the NDC's constitution and that of the NPP, there's just a thin line difference. They copied what we did, and they are still copying us," he said.

Asamoah Gyemfi noted that the NDC lacks original ideas and consistently steals from their ideas.

Meanwhile, responding to the allegations, Deputy Secretary of the NDC, George Lawson lambasted the NPP communicator for lying. According to him, the structures within the NDC is far apart from NPP.

He said Asamoah Gyemfi is only throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. Winning political power he noted is not achieved by peddling falsehood.

"The NPP speaks anyhow. They do not have any message for Ghanaians. The way we elect officers is different from theirs. So he [Asamoah Gyemfi] should tell me what the similarities are...You have to apply wisdom when seeking political power, but the NPP lack that.

"They should learn and stop lying to Ghanaians. Take a look at our colours, ideologies and principles and tell me whether his claims are true. The only similarity is that we both have a constitution, but the contents are different."

George Lawson asked, "where did we steal from them? The way they elect their presidential candidate and how they chose their running mate is different from the NDC. They are disgracing themselves with this cheap talk and lies. It is good to learn from each other, but we [NDC] will not learn from the NPP because they will go and say something different."