Police arrest Koku Anyidoho over coup comments

The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Koku Anyidoho has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service after he predicted a civilian coup d’etat to unseat President Akufo-Addo.

Mr Koku Anyidoho was picked up by armed policemen at the Press Centre on Tuesday in Accra moments after a press briefing on an intended demonstration over the Ghana-US military defence cooperation agreement. About 16 officers besieged the Press Center to effect the arrest.

Koku Anyidoho was escorted on foot to the CID headquarters about 1,200 metres away from the Press Centre.

READ ALSO: Govt condemns Koku Anyidoho's "treasonable" comments

He was accompanied into the facility by the NDC General Secretary Asiedu Nketiah, NDC National Chairman Kofi Portuphy and PNC Chairman Bernard Mornah.

Meanwhile, a crowd of NDC sympathisers are currently massing up outside the CID headquarters.

What did Koku Anyidoho say

Mr Koku Anyidoho in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM said President Akufo-Addo suggested that President Akufo-Addo was likely to suffer the fate of his father who was overthrown as President by a military coup in 1972.

“Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself,” the NDC firebrand said.

“On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo’s father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.

“There’ll be a civil revolt. There’ll be a people’s movement. During President John Mahama’s tenure didn’t we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana,” the former presidential spokesperson opined.

Mr Koku Anyidoho added: “There’ll be a civilian coup d’etat; there’ll be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency.”

Government condemns comments

The Minister of Information, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, described the comments as treasonable and called on the security agencies to invite and interrogate Mr Anyidoho.

“As it stands everywhere in the world, when people make treasonable comments, when people allude to the fact that they intend to overthrow the government, it is important for the security agencies to have a chat with him to find out how he intends to do that and if indeed there’s a plot that is already at an advance stage.”