Former President John Agyekum Kufuor showed up in a wheelchair to pay his last respect to his late predecessor, Jerry John Rawlings despite their frigid relationship.

While they both tried in the public space do downplay suggestions of some hostility between them, their public statements were more than enough to convey such thoughts to Ghanaians.

This deep-seated spite between Rawlings and Kufuor who were the first and second presidents of the fourth republic respectively was allegedly birthed by what the late former president thought to be a persecution of his appointees by the Kufuor administration and a withdrawal of his courtesies.

However, former President Kufour put everything behind him to pay his respect and mourn with family of Jerry Rawlings even though he couldn’t walk.

GhanaFeed.com

Spokesperson for the President’s legal team in the ongoing election petition hearing at the Supreme Court, Mr Frank Davies has criticised lawyers for the petitioner, John Dramani Mahama for dramatising proceedings at the court.

This comes after the court ordered the petitioner in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition, John Dramani Mahama, to file his witness statements and arguments in response to the preliminary objection raised by the respondents latest by Wednesday, January 27.

The court also expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the petitioner and warned it will take appropriate actions against him if he fails to compile with the order to file the witness statements and arguments by the given deadline.

Speaking to the media after proceedings, Mr Frank Davies said “The language used by my good friend Tony Lithur, (a lawyer for the petitioner) this morning was a bit offensive. To say that an application before the court has been predetermined is rather unfortunate coming from  my good friend, of course a very senior member  of the bar. But the court did not take it kindly to that.

“As it is now, the court has been gracious and very lenient to the petitioner because he has been given another opportunity to correct the wrong. The petitioner has been ordered to file his witness statements by close of day tomorrow which is Wednesday. The petition has been adjourned to the 28^th of January for hearing which is Thursday.

“We are all legal practitioners, the Supreme Court is a very busy place. The Supreme Court is not the forum for organized, rehearsed and choreographed theatricals and drama . It is a place for real hard, and serious  legal work.

“It is not for flying of literature   and dull English devoid of any legal merit. I want to advise  my colleagues from the other side  that if  it hasn’t been broken,  don’t attempt to fix it .We are ready for them  on Thursday.”

GhanaFeed.com

Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin has showered praises on former president John Dramani Mahama for approving and supporting him to ascend on the throne of Parliamentary Speakership.

Whilst speaking at a symposium organised by the NDC in memory of the late former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, Bagbin noted that he had set his eyes on Parliamentary civil society by creating the Institute of Parliamentary Affairs Africa and was selecting a team for his work until the John Mahama-led team was used by God to elevate him.

“I thank all of you again. And I thank the Almighty of God for this gift. It is through you that I have been elected as Speaker of Parliament for the country now. I am so so grateful,” Bagbin said.

He added: “God smiled on me and used all of you led by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama…. I couldn’t sleep. But some spirit descended on me. That’s why that day I promised you that we were going to win this battle.”

GhanaFeed.com