General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia says despite campaigning for ‘No’ in the upcoming referendum, his party will not mind engaging government over other possible outcomes of the exercise.
He states that his party’s position can change to ‘Yes’ if government is also “prepared to engage us”.
“[And] that is the beauty of democracy,” he stated.
Mr Asiedu Nketia was speaking in an exclusive interview on Sunrise on 3FM with host Winston Amoah.
The referendum, seeking to allow the introduction of partisan politics in the district level elections, has generated varying views with stakeholders divided over the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote.
While some including government is seeking a ‘Yes’ outcome to allow party politics in the elections, others including the NDC are rejecting it.
The National House of Chiefs is equally divided over the vote despite its President, Togbe Afede XIV, and Vice President, Daasebre Nana Kweku Ewusi VII, for a ‘No’ vote.
Mr Asiedu Nketia indicated that the NDC’s options include a withdrawal of the referendum in order to afford stakeholders the opportunity to restructure the question if negotiations are held.
He said so far the engagements with government have not yielded any positive results.
“We have put our cards on the table that [government] withdraw the question, let us work on it and bring it back.”
The NDC decided against a ‘Yes’ vote at the National Executive Committee (NEC) level.
It came after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had asked all Ghanaians to vote ‘Yes’ in order to push the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) closer.
But Mr Asiedu Nketia faults government over the seeming stand-off despite his party backing the election of MMDCEs.
“We are where we are now because of the way [the NPP] conducted themselves in the past.”
He assured that jaw-jawing could chart an acceptable path for the best option for all.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana