Referendum Fiasco: Leave Mahama out of your embarrassment – Sammy Gyamfi to Akufo-Addo

National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress ( NDC) Sammy Gyamfi has denied claims by President Akufo-Addo that former President John Mahama agreed to the amendment of article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for the introduction of partisanship in our local government system, accusing the President of attempting “to use the former as a cover for the national embarrassment.”

President Akufo-Addo has withdrawn the referendum on whether or not political parties should take part in local government elections citing a lack of broad consultation.

In his address to the nation on the cancellation of the referendum last Sunday, December 1, 2019, he alleged that former President John Dramani Mahama had agreed to the amendment of article 55(3). But Sammy Gyamfi has refuted the claim.

“For the records, it’s a barefaced lie that President Mahama agreed to the amendment of article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for the introduction of partisanship in our local government system as alleged by President Akufo-Addo. The attempt to use JM as a cover for this national embarrassment will not wash,” he wrote in reaction to the president’s address.

Sammy Gyamfi has also claimed that the withdrawal of the referendum is a victory of the NDC since it was campaigning for a “no” vote in the referendum as against the NPP’s “yes” vote campaign.

At long last, President Akufo-Addo has chickened out of the December 17 referendum for fear of defeat.

This is a clear victory for the NDC and all “No Vote” advocates. Our collective nationalistic decision to put Ghana first has paid off,” he declared.

Mr Gyamfi has therefore concluded that the NDC’s ‘victory’ in the referendum is a precursor to its victory in the Presidential election come December 7, 2020.

He wrote: “Mr. President, you can cancel the December 17 referendum for fear of defeat, but you cannot cancel the impending defeat that awaits you on December 7th 2020.”