PPP accuses media of engaging in propaganda
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has accused the media of engaging in propaganda and blowing issues about the party out of proportion without considering the good works it has been doing.
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“All the woes of the party are media propaganda where the media is blowing issues out of proportion to make it seem as though the PPP has done something wrong, and refusing to report the party’s good works, but that is not the case,” the PPP running mate, Ms Brigitte Dzogbenuku, said.
She was reacting to a story carried by the Daily Graphic on its front page (the Monday edition) about the invitation extended by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to the party.
Only last week, the PPP was among some other disqualified political parties which were invited by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service over electoral fraud.
EOCO invitation
The Daily Graphic, on its front page (Monday edition), said the EOCO had invited the party’s 2016 Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, and Mr Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC) to explain the sources of their incomes for their political campaigns.
According to the story, the EOCO wants Mr Ayariga and Dr Nduom to confirm, in writing, the sources of their incomes.
They have up to Wednesday, October 26, 2016, to respond to the request in a letter signed by the Executive Director of the EOCO, Mr Justice A. Tsar.
The letter was triggered by public announcements by Mr Ayariga to the effect that he had expended $6 million on his campaign.
Dr Nduom, on the other hand, is being asked to explain the source of the GH¢1,750,000 that he paid for himself and the parliamentary candidates of the PPP.
No letter received
But in a quick rebuttal, Ms Dzogbenuku said the party was yet to receive an official letter from the EOCO, but would comply as a law-abiding organisation.
She, however, blamed some opposition parties for pushing some state institutions to frustrate the good intentions of the party and its leader.
She also expressed disappointment in the CID and the EOCO for using the media as the channel to invite the party, instead of following administrative procedures.
Ms Dzogbenuku further accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of engaging in selective injustice application, adding that the PPP had always abided by the electoral laws ahead of all the political parties.
“We are extremely disappointed at this deliberate Machiavellian tactics from a state-sponsored institution to attempt to disgrace Dr Nduom in such an unfortunate manner,” she said.
Political Parties’ law
Ms Dzogbenuku also indicated that the party had complied with the Political Parties’ law to the letter, “and submitted the necessary documents as required by law on our source of funding as of May 20, 2016 of which the EC acknowledged receipt, and will submit our next source of funding and any other documentation to the EC by June 2017 as required by law”.
“What crime has Dr Nduom committed for him to be crucified in such a manner? If the EOCO wants Ghanaians to take them seriously, why are they not investigating all the other presidential candidates who have managed to pay their filing fees well in excess of what the PPP has paid?” she asked.
Call on Ghanaians
The National Secretary of the party, Mr Murtala Mohammed, also called on Ghanaians to rise up and speak against the injustices being meted out to the PPP and other political parties in the country.
“Today it is the PPP which is under attack, tomorrow it might be you; the reason we must all rise up and speak against these selective applications of the law by state-owned institutions such as the EC and EOCO,” he added.
