Alhaji Ahmed Rhamadan, PNC Chairman
An application for interlocutory injunction against five national executives of the People’s National Convention (PNC), including the four-time flag-bearer of the party, Dr. Edward Mahama, from organizing their national delegates’ congress slated for this coming weekend would have to be postponed for the second time.
This follows an adjournment by an Accra High Court hearing the matter in which five of the party members – Ibrahim Abass, Haruna Abass, Abukari Sadick Wiyor, Bernard Bama-Ame and Michael Anafo – filed the injunction which is also aimed at stopping the national executives from holding themselves out as party executives since their tenure was said to have expired.
Apart from that, the plaintiffs have also accused the national executives of fraud in the conduct of the 2007 constituency, regional and national delegates’ congress of the PNC, and claim they also embezzled funds without regard to the laid down procedure and for their personal benefit.
The case, which is being heard in a court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Dzakpasu, had to be adjourned because Dr. Somtim Tobiga, counsel for the plaintiffs, told the court that he had been informed that they had filed an affidavit in opposition to the application.
He said he was yet to file a supplementary affidavit in support of the motion for the interlocutory injunction, which he was yet to serve on the defendants – the PNC, Dr. Edward Mahama, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, party chairman, Bernard Monah, General Secretary of the party and the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana.
Mr. James Agalga was counsel for the defendants.
The case has been adjourned to December 14, 2011.
In a supplementary affidavit in support of the motion, the plaintiffs alleged that after they prayed the court to restrain the defendants from holding themselves as leaders of the party, they convened a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party to postpone the national delegates’ congress which was scheduled for November 25 to 27, 2011.
According to them, the defendants continued to withdraw party funds and appear on radio and television to propagate and discuss their plans, programmes and projects relating to the holding of the congress after they had been served with the motion for injunction.
In addition, the plaintiffs said even though the four-year term of the party executives had expired on November 30, 2011, they claimed to have constitutional authority to act as executives of the party based on the 1992 constitution.
They therefore want the court to restrain the defendants from participating in any meeting of whatever kind or description of the PNC, or from organizing or permitting others to organise the delegates congress wherever or whenever, including in Sunyani.
Furthermore, they want the party executives to be stopped from introducing themselves as leader, general secretary and chairman of the party, or withdrawing any funds or soliciting for funds in the name of the party.
The plaintiffs also want the EC to be restrained from supervising any party congress till a neutral committee comprising the Council of Elders and any party members, other than the national executives, is instituted so as to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in order to protect, defend and maintain the democratic principles of the country.
By Fidelia Achama