Montie 3: NDC should learn from NPP’s joy over conviction – Konneh

The excitement among members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and their sympathisers following the four-month jail term handed to the three Montie FM contemnors – Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn, and Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe – is an indication that the party does not mean well for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Baba Jamal Konneh, Eastern Regional Communications Director of the NDC has said.

He has, therefore, called on all members of the NDC to learn from the experience.

Last week, the Supreme Court of Ghana imposed a prison sentence on the contemnors after it ruled that their actions had scandalised and brought it into disrepute.

But while scores of NDC supporters and ministers of state have petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to invoke Article 72 of the Constitution to grant the contemnors pardon, some members of the NPP, including former Justice Minister Ayikoi Otoo, have indicated that the jail term was rather lenient.

A statement issued by Mr Konneh said it had now become clear that the NPP did not wish the NDC well in spite of the support some lawyers belonging to the NDC showed leading NPP members when they were caught in a similar situation during the election petition hearing.

The statement said: “The NDC should stop playing friendly matches with the NPP. I think the NPP has shown clearly to the NDC that they are not playing friendly matches with us so we must think same.

“Most NPP guys, especially those loyalists of Nana Akufo-Addo, are extremely happy and jubilating over the Supreme Court sentences on the three Montie guys.

“They are jubilating as if the NPP has won the 2016 general elections. The interesting aspect is, the same people who were okay with Sir John's threats on the Supreme Court judges are today telling us the court should have given them (the three contemnors) more months; some even suggested a year’s jail term for them. Is this not hypocrisy?

“Our lawyers defended Sir John, Sammy Awuku, Hopeson Adorye, and all the NPP guys who were caught of contempt of court during the 2012 election petition. Some of our party executives even paid the amount slapped on Sir John by the Supreme Court. But today the NPP is behaving differently.

“NDC, lets learn something from this – today, it's Mugabe, tomorrow it could be you."