Nana Addo lied; no consensus on referendum - Asiedu Nketia

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of propagating lies on the much talked December 17 referendum which was to amend an entrenched provision in the 1992 Constitution, Article 55(3) to allow political parties to sponsor candidates in local level elections.

Nana Addo recently announced that the December 17 referendum has been put on hold due to divided opinions on the exercise.

According to him, the withdrawal of the referendum is to allow for further consultations with all key stakeholders.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, December 1, 2019, he indicated the attainment of a broad consensus, for him, on a matter as important as the amendment of an entrenched provision of the Constitution, is critical.

"I do not believe that such an amendment should be driven as a party matter. There has to be a clear national consensus and agreement amongst the populace that a particular entrenched provision no longer serves the interest of the people, and, thus, has to be removed," he said.

He also accused the NDC of bad faith and hypocrisy.

"The time has come to strip the process of its hypocrisy, and accept and work with the reality of party involvement. It is on this basis that I proceeded in subsequently instructing the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development to initiate a parliamentary process for the repeal of Article 55(3) of the Constitution.

"I thought there was the consensus after meetings with three of my predecessors, but the sudden U-turn of the National Democratic Congress has left me with no other option than to further engage other stakeholders," he stated.

But the NDC scribe, Asiedu Nketia in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM openly branded the President a "liar".

He stated that he was surprised to hear the President said the NDC had met with him to discuss the referendum and that the NDC had indicated its intention to vote and campaign for YES.

"If the President has found sense and reasoning in their argument against the referendum and has finally withdrawn it," he should stick to his position rather than attack the NDC unnecessarily.

"There was never a national consensus or discussion on the referendum as the President wants to put it. Of course, you may have met with our flagbearer and former president, John Dramani Mahama for about thirty (30) minutes or so but that does not mean there was a consensus on the referendum," he stated.

However, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP), John Boadu, appears appalled at the conduct of Asiedu Nketia.

He has, therefore, vowed to make public footage of the said meeting.