Serious concerns have been voiced by the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the violent acts committed by National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters following Saturday’s elections.
It comes after NDC supporters nationwide started using violence a day after the elections.
During yesterday’s news conference in Accra, Salam Mustapha, the National Youth Organiser of the NPP, raised serious concerns over vandalism, claiming that it was progressively undermining the nation’s peace.
NDC members have already gone on the rampage and are robbing both private and public establishments. Freezers were observed being transported out of Greater Accra’s Ayawaso North Assembly.
Supporters of the NDC attacked working personnel in the NADMO office. The New Patriotic Party has had its constituency offices vandalized and violated.
According to the videos that are circulating, he claimed that the School Feeding warehouse and the Agric office in Tamale had been looted.
Insisting that “the NDC are challenging and pushing the security forces to respond so they can quickly turn around and accuse them of intimidation and violence on their supporters,” he emphasized the idea that “this is exactly what leads to electoral violence.”
“We note that despite the NPP’s deep commitment to a peaceful electoral process and transition period, the NDC is exploiting this goodwill by orchestrating chaos and igniting mayhem across the nation,” he said, praising NPP leader and flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for his statesmanship and for prioritizing the interests of the country by admitting defeat just 14 hours after the polls closed.
“We are disappointed to hear that the NDC has issued a press statement attributing acts of vandalism and looting of state properties to supporters of the NPP,” he noted with worry, and thus urged the police to act swiftly in protecting and arresting the perpetrators of the ongoing acts, since according to him, “the alarming escalation of violence being carried out by NDC supporters against Electoral Commission (EC) officials, NPP parliamentary candidates and security personnel is unprecedented.”
“These incidents have been recorded and have been shown on various media stations. There are videos all over and not one NPP supporter has been seen carrying out any of such dastardly acts,” he revealed.
According to him, Dome-Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, Nsawam Adoagyiri, Suhum, Akwatia, Fanteakwa North, Kpandai, Karaga, Gushiegu, Ahafo Ano North, Obuasi East, Ahafo Ano South West, Techiman South, Damongo, and Aowin were among the impacted constituencies.
“The NDC in these constituencies have resorted to physical attacks on NPP agents, seizure and burning of ballots and pink sheets in order to destroy the very documents needed for the declaration of winners of the election in these various constituencies,” he said. “We have seen and witnessed several episodes of the alarming escalation of violence being meted out by NDC supporters through mass intimidation, threats, and physical attacks on EC officials and security personnel.” he added.
“An NDC supporter stormed the NPP’s election operations centre, accusing them of ballot thumb-printing and vote manipulation” whilst “in the Okaikwei North Constituency, violence erupted at Akweteyman as NDC youth, armed with machetes, attacked the NPP party office, destroying vehicles and property. The NDC youth then alleged that the NPP parliamentary candidate had deployed thugs to disrupt the elections.” in the Madina Constituency he said.
“In the Obuasi East Constituency, NDC voters clashed with military personnel at Akapoliso in an attempt to seize their firearms,” whilst “in the Tolon Constituency, tensions escalated when suspected NDC supporters vandalised an NPP monitoring team’s vehicle at the Nyankpala DA polling centre,” he revealed.
“There is no doubt now that the NDC trained and primed their supporters to cause mayhem, and that they are doing what was drummed into them,” since according to him, “They have a quest to challenge the security forces.”
“If the state security should react, despite the peaceful way in which the elections have taken place on December 7 and how NPP supporters have carried themselves in a peaceful manner, the NDC will then resort to accusations.” he continued.
The Ghana Police Service has also been urged by the NPP to uphold law and order at all polling places and safeguard the integrity of the election process.
Additionally, it has requested the Electoral Commission to guarantee the prompt and intimidation-free fulfillment of its constitutional role. “Please get the needed documents needed to make you effectively carry out your mandate,” Salam added.
But he was shocked and deeply disappointed by the president-elect’s indifference to these violent crimes going on without bringing his supporters to heel.
Source: newsthemegh.com