He said this in response to the President Mahama’s recent unsuccessful attempts to secure a one-on-one debate with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo on issues pertaining to the economy, among others.

[contextly_sidebar id=”B5cqLIUGkd8ASFVnFWjBckRDYc5n9ian”]Speaking on The Big Issue, Mr. Agyarko said, “I think the NDC is behaving like a spoiled brat. They live in this country and they think everything must be at their beck and call. They think they that they must determine the outcomes for everybody and everything in this country.”

He further said President Mahama’s actions in recent times demonstrated “very clearly a man that is confused.”

“From nowhere, out of nothing, the man comes one day and says; now I want a debate with Akufo-Addo. What has happened, what is new,” Mr. Agyarko questioned.

He reinforced his “spoiled brat” comments by also accusing of the NDC of simply wanting to pick and choose debate platforms as he reminded that the NDC had boycotted the tried and tested platform the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) provided for a similar debate.

The NDC directed all of its candidates, presidential and parliamentary, not to participate in any debate organised by the IEA ahead of the polls precisely because the IEA’s decided to hold separate debate for the flagbearers of the NPP and NDC as well as what they termed as IEAs lack of consultation before its announcement.

“All of a sudden, the NDC comes not just saying they don’t want the platform but actually attacking the integrity of the organizers of that platform,” Mr. Agyarko said of the

“There has been a time honoured, time tested way we have always done this. So what is the President talking about now,” he stated.

NPP’s responses to debate calls

In rebuttals to President John Mahama’s recent challenges to debate Nana Akufo-Addo on issues of the economy, the NPP has asked for a response to the 170 questions laid out by the NPP running mate, Dr, Mahamadu Bawumia during his lecture on the state of the Ghanaian economy in September.

The NPP is also requesting a formal approach from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) if any possible headway would be made on the issue.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC behaving like ‘spoiled brats’ with debate challenge – Agyarko appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Deputy Chair of the NCCE, Samuel Akuamoah, explained on Eyewitness News that the only thing holding back the NCCE’s planned presidential debate is the controversy surrounding the Electoral Commission’s (EC) disqualification of 13 presidential candidates.

These disqualifications have culminated in three lawsuits against the EC.

As result, Mr. Akuamoah indicated it cannot move ahead with its plans until the lawsuits are settled and the EC is settled on the number of presidential candidates ahead of the polls.

“We are going to engage the candidates but until we are certain of the timetable and the candidates involved, we cannot roll it out,” he explained.

“We will hold it but it depends on the timetable of the Electoral Commission. When the Electoral Commission is settled on the number of candidates it has shortlisted finally and put on the ballot paper for the elections then we can go ahead and do out debates.”

Till then, Mr. Akuamoah insisted that the NCCE “cannot do the debate among candidates when others are contesting that they have been excluded, when we have stated from the onset at awe are going to make it inclusive.”

But he assured that the NCCE was still on course to hold presidential debates saying, “we have it on our plan and we are going to do it. If the plan is not ready to roll out, why do we discuss it in the public domain… we have planned, we are prepared to hold this presidential dialogue.”

Lawsuits against the EC

Following the disqualification of the 13 presidential aspirants for anomalies in their registration forms, three of the associated parties have resorted to the law courts to fight against the perceived illegal disqualifications.

The Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom-led Progressive People’s Party filed a lawsuit seeking an order of prohibition to restrain the EC from proceeding with balloting for position of presidential candidates for the 7th December elections.

The disqualified presidential nominee of the Great Consolidated Popular Party, Dr. Henry Herbert Lartey also filed an injunction suit seeking to stop all electoral processes ahead of the December elections.

The Flagbearer of the  National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings also sued the EC for disqualifying her from the December 7 general elections, adding the Attorney General to the lawsuit which is seeking an interlocutory injunction, prohibiting and retraining the Commission and its agents from going ahead with the balloting of presidential candidate until the court settles the matter.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’ll hold presidential debates if EC resolves court issues – NCCE appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Hamid argued that if President Mahama was truly serious about debating Nana Akufo-Addo, he would have written an official letter to the NPP challenging the NPP Presidential Candidate to a debate.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VZw6ghfETmUrdP9hWb2i3ztikNJXCvSS”]Earlier today [Thursday] President Mahama reiterated his calls for a debate with Nana Akufo-Addo saying it would afford both parties to set the record straight on a number of issues including the state of the economy.

President Mahama suggested that the NPP was simply misinforming the electorate with propaganda and his challenge would ensure a statistics based debate on the economy.

Mahama not using formal approach

But Mustapha Hamid retorted: “Is that how debates are done? If you want to challenge Bukom Banku or Azumah Nelson to a boxing bout, you sit on radio and say I want Bukom Banku for a fight. Is that how it is done?”

“If you want to challenge somebody to a debate, you write to him, the presidential candidate, New Patriotic Party… you write a letter, then you sign it, then it is delivered then we give you a response. Then based on our response you can go to the public and say; I invited them to a debate and they didn’t come.”

Mr. Hamid insisted that a more formal approach from the President Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) would be required if the debate calls were to be taken seriously.

“That is his [Mahama’s] mentality for running institutions and we don’t do that. It is not acceptable in the 21st century… we don’t run institutions with our mouth. We do things properly and things are done by paper trail.”

He also reminded that the NDC had boycotted the respected platform the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) had provided for a similar debate.

Mr. Hamid said, “the IEA said that they had a timetable for presidential debates. He said that he was not interested in that so at what point did he realise that debates are suddenly interesting. So this is hypocritical, it is not sincere.”

The NDC directed all of its candidates, presidential and parliamentary, not to participate in any debate organised by the IEA ahead of the polls precisely because the IEA’s decided to hold separate debate for the flagbearers of the NPP and NDC as well as what they termed as IEAs lack of consultation before its announcement.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Mahama’s debate challenge hypocritical – Mustapha Hamid appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.