“I implied that I expected Mahama to win, never said he did” – Asiedu Nketia tells court

The NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is the first witness in the ongoing election petition hearing has told the court that he only implied that the party’s Flagbearer John Mahama had won in a video he purportedly claim Mahama and the NDC will form the next government.

Mr Nketia was responding to a question posed by counsel for the second respondent (Nana Akufo-Addo) Akoto Ampaw during day-two of his cross examination on Monday.

This was after series of video clips showing various leaders of the NDC party proclaiming victory for the NDC party during the just ended 2020 elections.

Mr Ampaw said the NDC stalwart claimed that his party’s presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama had won the 2020 presidential elections and not his opponent, Nana Akufo-Addo.

But Mr Nketia disagreed. He said those were not his words.

Although, he seem to be in agreement of some portions of the video, he said he never at any point implied that John Mahama had won.

“My Lords, I implied that I expected President Mahama to win the elections because every evidence was pointing at president Mahama’s victory.

“And infact, my Lords, in all the seven parliamentary and presidential elections that has been held before this one, the presidential candidate who wins the parliamentary elections across boards, wins the presidential as well.

According to Mr. Nketia, he only expressed expectations that the petitioner would win the elections based on his knowledge of the dynamics of elections in Ghana over the years.

Mr Nketia explained that to the seven-member panel of the apex court that every evidence gathered from their collation team pointed to their candidate’s victory, and hence his mounting the stage to address the press in the said video.

He made this statement in court after video tapes of former President Mahama, Peter Otokonor Boamah and Sammy Gyamfi were played, in which the team were captured on tape claiming victory for the NDC in the 2020 elections.

But Mr Nketia’s response was sharply greeted with a great displeasure from Akoto Ampaw.

He advised the witness not to give a public lecture of what happens during an election and stick to answering the questions.

The president’s counsel further pointed to a part where the party’s deputy General Secretary Peter Otokonor claimed John Mahama had won. This, he said, confirmed that the witness (Asiedu Nketia) was in agreement.

Mr Nketia maintained that the deputy General Secretary’s action was done in his own capacity.

“The NDC has 38,000 branches and each branch can organise a press conference in their own right and at national level we have various departments, they can all organise press conferences and the General Secretary does not have to be present at all such press conferences.

“My Lord, I am the Chief Executive of the party and in that sense I take some responsibility about whatever happens in the party but where a statement is made by a junior officer that contradicts what the Chief Executive has said, it is the Chief Executive words that prevail,” he said drawing laughter from the court.

Mr Ampaw insisted that the words of the witness during the press conferences suggested that the petitioner won the presidential elections.

“You claim in one of your statements that you won the elections in all the polling stations all over the country so I’m putting it to you that when you made the statement that the petitioner had won the election, it presupposed you had the polling station pink sheets,” he queried.

But Mr. Nketia reiterated, “My Lord, I indicated that I never said that the petitioner had won the elections”.

Mr Asiedu Nketia is the first witness of the petitioner John Dramani Mahama in the ongoing election petition hearing.

The second to mount the witness box will be Dr Micheal Kpessa Whyte, who was the petitioner’s representative in the Electoral commission collation centre.

The first and second respondents will also bring in their witnesses — Jean Mensa from the Electoral Commission and Peter Mac Manu from President Akufo-Addo side.

Below is a video of the NDC Flagbearer addressing the media after EC declared NPP presidential candidate winner of 2020 elections captured by Joynews