Akufo-Addo’s team contradict each other over victory billboards

Source: The Herald

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s), presidential candidate in the 2012 elections, Nana Akufo-Addo, has pulled down the Supreme Court victory billboards erected near the Reverend John Teye Memorial School, off the Accra-Nsawam road.

The billboard was pulled down, following media reports that the party has started littering the country with giant billboards, ahead of the Supreme Court judgment, which resumes today for oral addresses, after a two-week break.

Meanwhile, Nana Addo’s Press Secretary and Campaign Manager, Herbert Krapa and Boakye K. Agyarko respectively, are in a hasty to deny The Herald story, thereby contradicting themselves, as to when this particular giant billboard was erected.

The giant billboards were ostensibly erected to psyche up party fanatics to expect a victory from the Supreme Court, sprang up last week at a time when churches, civil society organizations, the security agencies and other peace-loving Ghanaians were busily preaching and praying for the maintenance of the peace that the country is enjoying.

While Herbert Krapa in a press statement claimed the billboards were erected prior to the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, Nana Addo’s Campaign Manager, Mr. Agyarko claimed the billboard was erected few days to Nana Addo, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and NPP National Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey petitioned the Supreme Court.

Mr. Agyarko spoke on an Accra-based Hot FM 93.9 Morning Show, hosted by a respected broadcaster, Ekuoba Gyarsi.

But the billboard looked new. Indeed, apart from The Herald reports, many people have confirmed seeing the giant billboard, which has since been removed by those who erected it.

It had a logo of the opposition NPP and a picture of its 2012 flag bearer, Nana Addo wearing a white long sleeve shirt, waving with a scarf tied around his neck.

Visibly missing on the billboard was the “Free SHS” campaign mantra of the party. Also missing was the cliché ‘’Akufo Addo For President 2012’’.

The remains of the billboard is captured on the front page of the paper.

This billboard had a Bible quotation of 1 Samuel 17:47 ’All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Another strange thing about the new billboards is that it is being spread around town at a time the political season, which allows for such things is long over. Indeed, it is also coming at a time when the Police administration, has banned all political activities in the country, including an NPP political rally, buried under the cloak of a religious event.

Before this, Ken Ofori-Atta and the petitioners at the eleventh hour, called off the launch of a one-sided book on the whole trial, while evidence was being given in court, the party seems disinterested in the parliamentary seats, which the NPP equally lost.

The Herald is informed that there are a lot more spotted in parts of Accra, and party insiders tell this paper that many more are going to be mounted ahead of the Supreme Court verdict.

Like the botched book launch, the giant billboards ahead of the Supreme Court judgment are to shape public opinion, especially the NPP fanatics and militants who might result to violence of other lawless enterprises if their expectations did not materialize thus plunging the country into an abyss.

A press release from the NPP Communications outfit on the book at the time, served notice on the public to expect details of the party’s case at the Supreme Court, capturing among others, the profiles of the judges, lawyers of the petitioners, as well as the respondents, including Tsatsu Tsikata and Tony Lithur.

It said “Ghanaians would soon have the benefit of reading at first hand a comprehensive compilation of documents, articles and pictures, describing at firsthand the issues leading to and surrounding the Presidential Election Petition sanctioned by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NPP with Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr. Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey as the Petitioners”.

The 200 page book, the press statement said, was authored by a cousin of Nana Addo and owner of Databank Financial Service, Ken Ofori-Atta, William Oppong Bio, Boakye Agyarko and Kwasi Busia.

It mentioned the book’s titled as “The Election Petition: Restoring Justice and Democracy for Peace” and will be launched tomorrow Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 6pm at the British Council in Accra.

The launch was called off at the last minutes as they feared they could be cited for contempt of court. Copies of the book have since been hidden.

Meanwhile, a text message in circulation via 2000 on Vodafone, states that “Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has denied a newspaper publication that sought to suggest that he is mounting victory billboards ahead of the Supreme Court verdict”.