PRESS STATEMENT BY THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY

Today is a watershed for democracy in Ghana. The expectation was that the nation would wake up to congratulations. Congratulations from the NPP to former President John Dramani Mahama for winning the NDC Presidential primary and the NDC leadership for managing to hold an electoral congress in the teeth of numerous challenges.

Rather, it has turned into a bitter sweet day. Bitter that confirmation has come from the current NDC leadership itself of plans to actively weaponized their political party and put it on a path to becoming a terrorist organisation. A coordinated plan of kidnappings, physical and verbal attacks and infiltration of the security services.
Greedy Mahama intends to lead a violent and extremist organization in his quest to lead the country.

Sweet because by the Almighty Grace of God, blessed by the first line of the first stanza of our national anthem, the plot has been exposed. “God Bless Our Homeland Ghana, and Make Our Nation Great And Strong”.

Indeed, our nation will remain great and strong. Because there is a responsible leadership in the NPP willing to put every political advantage on the line and do the right thing for the security, growth and prosperity of this country.

Many were those baffled by the NDC attitude to the events of Ayawaso West Wuogon immediately before, during and in the aftermath of the by-election. From apparently pointless tussles with the Electoral Commission about dates of election and the authenticity of the Voter Register to escalation of an incident in the La Bawalashie area into a full blown international blight on our nation.

Non-existent deaths were alleged and a deliberate picture of violence put out. The infamous “boot for boot” and superiority in the use of violence statements were made by the former President, now Candidate of the NDC and he proceeded to support and lead “boot for Boot” demonstrations and walks. The NDC Presidential Candidate also held a briefing for some members of the diplomatic community where he falsely tried to paint a picture of insecurity and violence in the country. It can be deduced from the way boot-for-boot policy was announced from far away Volta Region that, presidential aspirant Mahama must have known and been part of the orchestrated effort to create the false appearance of insecurity in the country.

Greedy Mahama ought to have condemned and helped to contain the violence rather than hyping it up. That he chooses to escalate it all the way to the international community with the aid of false videos shows that he was behind the move to destabilize the country and that he is beneficiary.

Ladies and gentlemen, why this greedy and violent quest for power at all cost? Why sacrifice the nation’s honour and dignity for political power? The greedy lust for power can only be to create, loot and share the hard earned resources of this country.

In the above circumstances, the NPP were compelled to respond and point out that the NDC were deliberately orchestrating the sense of violence and insecurity. Of course the NDC denied. Yet the very Hawks they denied shot and killed a person right in the midst of an NDC executive meeting.

The President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, chose the path of national stability, security and peace. He set up a commission to put the matter of politically related violence to bed once and for all. But the NDC refused to cooperate.

The revelations on the alleged tapes that have become public knowledge explains it all. The National Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, a serving elder of a much respected Christian Congregation, is heard revealing the trend of lies underpinning the NDC actions of the past few weeks.

On the tapes, the National Chairman of the NDC is heard planning to integrate thuggery into the NDC party fabric, subvert police and security service leadership, target people for assassination and kidnapping, and generally threaten to put the lives of senior members of the NPP and indeed civil society in danger.

The Chairman is heard endorsing a campaign of lies, insults and threats against the immediate past presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church and now Chairman of the Peace Council, the Head of the Electoral Commission, the President of Ghana and many others.

The revelations have broken public trust. Trust is at the heart of electoral politics and leadership. The deliberate insincerity and mendaciousness of the current NDC leadership, including the newly elected Candidate who initiated “boot for boot”, calls into question whether they are ‘fit for purpose’.

The purpose of public call to leadership is a duty demanding utmost integrity and trust. The preamble to the 1992 constitution demands that leadership preserve the stability of our nation.

Instead, the tapes paint a picture of a bunch of crooks, scheming murderers and liars at the helm of a group who are supposed to offer responsible alternatives towards the progress of this country.

Indeed, the current NDC leadership have found themselves out. The have exposed themselves to the nation. Ayawaso West Wuogon was built on nothing. And the deliberated orchestrated lies and crafted events have crumbled into nothing.

Indeed, this is the worst case scenario of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. What has happened is bad and ugly. Right thinking members of the NDC ought to move fast and distance themselves from this shameful leadership. Those in the NDC who believe in an ideology must rise and demand resignations of all culpable to restore a sense of moral right to participate in the politics of this country.

The NPP will continue to espouse the Rule of Law as the basic pillar of our democracy. We shall follow the example of Prince Abudani 1, our President of the Republic of Ghana who has demonstrated distinguished leadership and supreme political will in meeting the real challenges of our time.

Corruption is an issue. The President has faced it by putting enormous independent prosecutorial power in the hands of a public servant of known integrity. Politically related violence is an issue. The President does not duck and hide in platitudes. He sets up a Public Commission of persons of timber to bring the phenomenon to an end once and for all.

The President is decisive. He is an intergenerational politician whose policy vision transcends elections. For elections, the President believes that going forward, ideas, rather than blows and bullets, should hold sway.

Ladies and gentlemen, in lieu of a better time and occasion, we take the liberty to congratulate the newly elected leader of the NDC. We ask him to reconsider his political philosophy of ‘boot for boot’ and take clear and public steps to rid his party of the thuggery being embedded into its fabric. Ghana is hungry for progress and he must assume the humility to divorce himself and his party from the appearance of deliberate and orchestrated lies about politically related violence.

In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, we ask all civil society organisations and citizens of this country to take advantage of the open and bold leadership offered by the President of the Republic on the matter of politically related violence. Please participate freely and frankly in the work of the Commission and join a healthy lively policy dialogue towards election 2020.

Lest we forget, to the extent that the party has exposed itself, the NDC is still not an alternative to decent politics. This nation is going forward and the NDC better listen up and follow.
Thank you

HON. YAW BUABEN ASAMOA
(COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR)