The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has expressed disappointment in the Council of State for the advice given to President John Dramani Mahama to release the Montie trio.
Montie trio – Salifu Maase, Alistair Tairo Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn – were on Tuesday granted remission barely a month after the Supreme Court sentenced them to four months in prison aside a GH¢10,000 fine each.
President Mahama remitted the three of their sentence after counsel from the Council of State in accordance with Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution.
There has been a mixed reaction to the president’s decision.
The second largest opposition party condemned in no uncertain terms the decision to release the three, stressing the president acted “in bad faith”.
PPP says the decision will remain a scar on the country’s democracy.
These were contained in a statement released on Tuesday, August 23.
“The President has proven weak amidst pressure from party members whose intentions are based on sentiments and emotions without looking at the interest of the state.”
The Montie FM presenter, Mr Maase, popularly known as Mugabe, and the two panellists were released after a widely-signed petition was presented to the president.
Among the signatories to the petition were leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) including ministers of state.
“The history and tradition of the NDC regarding alleged murder of judges, victimization of journalists and threats to judges (“there are many ways to kill a cat”) recently was enough deterrent for John Mahama to thread with caution not hasten to destroy the little credibility the NDC chalked under the watch of his predecessor, the late Professor J.E.A Mills.”
‘Political suicide’
But the PPP laid the blame more at the doorstep of the Council of State.
“The PPP is sure not all council members were on the same page with the President and his NDC appointees. We therefore call upon members of the council of state to come out clearly on this matter in order to set records straight. May our conscience be the better judge.”
The party asked Ghanaians to presume upon this move by President Mahama to vote him out this year as his action amounts to “political suicide”.
“The President has committed a political suicide and the people of Ghana must bury his political ambitions come December 7, 2016,” the statement signed by National Secretary Murtala Mohammed concluded.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana
Twitter: @3Newsgh