NPP calls on stakeholders to condemn post-election violence

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on all stakeholders to condemn the lawlessness that erupted in some parts of the country after the December 7 general election.

The party urged the National Peace Council (NPC), National House of Chiefs, civil society organisations (CSOs), the international community, the Catholic Bishops Conference and the media to let their voices be heard on the matter.

It also called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to reverse what it termed as ‘illegal declarations’ made in constituencies where collated results in the parliamentary election were in contention.

The NPP claimed that the perpetrators of those violent acts were supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who had unleashed violence on innocent Ghanaians and vandalised public property. 

Contention

The party alleged that constituencies the EC officials were threatened and coerced by some hoodlums to declare in favour of the NDC candidates were Ablekuma North, Okaikoi Central, Tema Central, Dome Kwabenya, Fanteakwa North, Ahafo North, Obuasi East, Ahafo Ano South West, Akwatia, Suhum and Nsawam Adoagyiri, Techiman South and Aowin.

News conference

The call was made at a news conference that was jointly addressed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, and the Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, at the NPP Headquarters yesterday.

Mr Frimpong, for his part, called on the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, to call his people to order and allow the EC to do its job.

He emphasised that the beauty of democracy lay in the ability to accept the outcome of elections, stating, "You can't have it all."

He questioned the kind of country that would condone such lawlessness, asking, "What kind of country do we want to have?"

The NPP General Secretary further called on the President-elect, John Mahama, to stop the alleged lawlessness and demonstrate his commitment to democracy.

"We are calling on civil society to call on the NDC leader, especially His Excellency, President-elect John Mahama, to demonstrate his love for this country by stopping this action immediately," Mr Frimpong stated.

Mr Afenyo-Markin also condemned the NDC for allegedly inciting violence and destroying public property in the aftermath of the elections.

"Why would the NDC, in an attempt to get more seats, go all over to destroy the country, destroy public property, and even put fear and panic in the minds and hearts of our people who were candidates for the election?" Mr Afenyo-Markin questioned.

He revealed that the NPP had a reliable data system and scanners across the country, which enabled its agents to provide feedback on the election results.

"By midnight, we knew that things were not okay," he stated. "By 9 a.m., we had put it out there that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was going to address the nation. We did this in the interest of democracy," he stated.

He also called on the EC to take immediate action to reverse what he described as "illegal declarations" made without properly collated results.

"We call on the Electoral Commission to intervene. National headquarters should intervene. The chairperson of the Electoral Commission should intervene and respond positively to all the petitions brought before them and address these matters," Mr Afenyo-Markin urged.