The Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante has called on former President John Dramani Mahama to apologise to the nation for saying the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will match the governing New Patriotic Party boot-for-boot with violence in the 2020 polls.
While addressing NDC delegates in the Adaklu Constituency of the Volta Region on Thursday, 31 January 2019, Mr Mahama said the NDC will match the NPP boot-for-boot in the 2020 elections if the government attempts to intimidate and harass NDC supporters with violence.
The former president’s comment followed a shooting incident at the La-Bawaleshie JHS polling station in the course of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election on the same day. The NDC accused the NPP of being behind the shooting.
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Mr Mahama said: “We are not going to joke in 2020, and I’m sounding a warning to the NPP – we are going to match them boot for boot…”
“I want to sound a caution that NDC has a revolutionary root and when it comes to unleashing violence, no one can beat us to that. It is just that we are mindful of this country’s democracy and that is why we must be the first to respect it. That is why we are acting as a party that is docile and respecting the rule of law. But if we believe that the government cannot protect our people and we believe that the government is using its vigilante groups and illegal forces to intimidate and harass and injure our people, then we may have to advise ourselves.”
He added: “We respect the Constitution of this country and the NDC is a democratic party and that’s why we abide by the rules of the Constitution. But the same Constitution says that Ghanaians should resist anybody who attempts to subvert the Constitution. When you go rampaging with forces and intimidating people when they should come out and vote, you are subverting the Constitution. And we have a right to resist you.”
Reacting to Mr Mahama’s warning to the NPP, Rev. Asante told Benjamin Akakpo on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Friday, 1 February 2019, that the former president ought to be circumspect in his speech.