Declaration of Vacant Seats: NDC lacks strategy - Ayikoi Otoo

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Nii Ayikoi Otoo, has criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament, claiming they lack strategy and talk too much, which ultimately undermines their efforts.

According to him, by revealing their plans publicly, the NDC provides their political opponents, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the opportunity to counteract and prepare to thwart their moves.

Commenting on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the Speaker’s ruling that declared four parliamentary seats vacant, Mr Ayikoi Otoo stated that the NDC publicly discussed their intentions, such as repealing certain laws, before even implementing the Speaker’s ruling.

He noted that instead of quietly handling the matter within Parliament, the NDC chose to air their plans on media platforms.

Mr Ayikoi Otoo explained that by openly discussing their strategy to remove the four MPs, the NDC alerted the NPP, allowing them to respond in time, including taking the matter to court.

He argued that the NDC "shot themselves in the foot" by speaking too much and inadvertently alarming the NPP, which led to swift action by the Majority.

Mr Ayikoi Otoo offered advice to the NDC, urging them to keep their strategies and tactics private to avoid giving the opposition an advantage.

He explained that the NDC’s public announcements frightened the Majority, prompting them to take extreme measures to protect their interests, such as filing an ex- parte application in the Supreme Court.

Addressing concerns about why the Supreme Court acted promptly on this case while others faced delays, Nii Ayikoi Otoo clarified that this was an ex- parte application, which is typically handled with urgency.

He dismissed comparisons to other cases, such as the one concerning LGBT laws, emphasizing that the urgency of the NDC’s public declarations required immediate action.

Nii Ayikoi Otoo pointed out that the NDC had announced plans to reconstitute parliamentary committees, appoint a new Deputy Speaker, and amend the communication tax once they took control of the House.

This forewarning, he said, pushed the NPP to act swiftly by seeking an ex- parte order from the Supreme Court to halt the NDC’s actions.

He also referenced the NDC’s earlier calls for the NPP Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to amend the E-levy.

Nii Ayikoi Otoo argued that such amendments would require revisiting the Appropriation Law, which is why Bawumia asked the NDC to wait until he takes office before considering any changes.

In conclusion, Nii Ayikoi Otoo stressed that the NDC’s tendency to reveal their plans prematurely gave the NPP the necessary "ammunition" to prepare and act, leading to the Supreme Court's suspension of the Speaker’s ruling.

He urged the NDC to adopt better strategies and avoid publicizing their intentions in the future.

He spoke during an interview with Accra-based Citi FM