New Patriotic Party (NPP) Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, has attributed Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh’s controversial remarks on the Ablekuma North parliamentary election to disruptions caused by National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in the constituency.
Annoh-Dompreh had urged NPP supporters in Ablekuma North to stand by their party members in confrontations with the NDC.
Speaking at a gathering of NPP supporters during a visit by the party’s parliamentary candidate, Akua Afriyie, Annoh-Dompreh stated, “If indeed you are a member of the NPP and you go to meet your fellow party member fighting a member of the NDC, join your party member to beat the NDC member.”
The Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP accused the NDC of deliberately obstructing the Electoral Commission (EC) from completing the collation process and warned that the NPP would not tolerate further delays.
In an interview on Channel One Newsroom, Ahiagbah emphasized the need for stakeholders, including the government, to address the root causes of the ongoing election disputes.
“This whole election in Ablekuma North is a problem, and I think it should be a priority for all of us, including the president, because the EC has requested government support to provide security for the collation and conclusion of the election.”
He argued that the focus should be on the disruptions rather than Annoh-Dompreh’s remarks.
“Why haven’t we concluded that election? It’s because NDC supporters in the constituency are disrupting the process. The IGP is not doing what he is supposed to do, as directed by the High Court, to provide security for the election to be concluded. Those, for me, are the key issues.”
Ahiagbah also pointed to a January 17 incident where NDC supporters, led by their Greater Accra Regional Organiser, disrupted and vandalized property at the EC regional office.
“Why are we not talking about that? That’s the actual violence. These are the effects of those actions. I don’t think we should be promoting violence, but we should be solving the problem.”
He maintained that resolving the root issues would prevent such remarks from being made in the first place.
“If we solve the problem, he won’t hold a mic to say what he is saying. That is not to justify his comments, but why don’t we solve the problem?”