The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Aseidu Nketia, has described President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a classical dictator ruling by law instead of rule of law as espoused in the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Nketia explained that Nana Akufo-Addo, as president, is finding ways to use the application of the law to achieve what he wants as president.
“It is the reason, as president, he jumps to the defence of state institutions whenever they falter,” Mr Nketia said.
He said the president has weaponised these democratic institutions of the country and has further used them to his advantage.
“Nana Addo wants to create a situation in the country where when he says it is white, everybody must admit it and this is a mark of a dictator,” Mr Nketia said.
According to him, every dictator starts by controlling parliament because it is the very tool for enhancing democracy.
Mr Nketia made these comments in an interview on CTV’s morning show Dwabre Mu hosted by Nana Otu Darko on Monday, March 14, 2022, in reaction to President Akufo-Addo’s support for the Supreme Court ruling on the voting rights of Deputy Speakers of Parliament.
He explained that the ruling by the Supreme Court for a Deputy Speaker to have a vote and be counted as part of quorum on the floor of parliament even while presiding over the business of the House is inappropriate and does not auger well for the development of parliamentary democracy.
According to Mr Nketia, the apex court’s ruling that representation outweighs conflict of interest is worrying.
“Is the apex court telling us the representation of the people of Bekwai in the Ashanti Region is more important than the representation of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafo, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL) in the newly-created Oti Region?” he quizzed.
“The whole area is not represented in parliament and the court finds nothing wrong with it but finds something wrong with an elected Member of Parliament who does not have a casting vote when presiding…this why I disagree with the ruling of the Supreme Court,” he said.
Ashantibiz
