Former President John Mahama
THE RULING New Patriotic Party has accused former president John Dramani Mahama of peddling falsehoods to diplomatic community about the security situation in Ghana as a result of his desperation for power.
It would be recalled that Mr. Mahama hosted the diplomatic community at the Peduase Lodge on Wednesday February 13, 2019 to present the National Democratic Congress (NDC) position on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shootings and in the process showed about two videos to the diplomats.
In one of the videos, the former President claimed, was on the funeral of the late New Patriotic Party’s Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Emmanuel Agyarko.
Whilst making reference to the funeral video, Mr. Mahama alleged some persons captured on the tape were hoodlums of the NPP, claiming that one of the male hoodlums was wearing an earring and so cannot be said to be a national security operative as he believe male personnel of the Ghana Police Service do not wear earrings.
In the second video, Mr. Mahama told the diplomats that same hoodlums who attended the funeral of the late MP were brought to Accra on January 31, 2019 to provide security for the NPP’s candidate for the by-election, Lydia Seyram Alhassan who is the spouse of the deceased lawmaker.
But it has since turned out that the funeral video belongs to a deceased police officer, Lance Corporal Daniel Tieku.
Addressing the media on Tuesday February 19 in Accra, Communications Director of the NPP, Yaw Boabeng Asamoah said the reason for the peddling of the lies was because the former president is desperate to recapture power.
Mr. Boabeng Asamoah wondered “why is former President Mahama so desperate for power?”
He asked “can that desperation be justified by peddling falsehoods about security in Ghana to the international community?”
The NPP has since accused Mr. Mahama as the inspiration for the violence that led to the killing of the NDC, Wasihu Idrisu in Kumasi on Monday.
He said the former president “appears to be the inspiration for such violence within his own party.”
Mr. Boabeng Asamoah could not fathom whether Mr. Mahama was “sincere about contributing to the peace, stability and hence prosperity of this nation, especially since he has led the country before and seeks to lead again.”
According to him, “former President Mahama and the current NDC party leaderships’ flip flopping on security and the institutions and procedures that keep all of us safe can be said to expose a deliberate agenda to infuse a sense of political violence and fear of elections on the country.”
He added that “hence the orchestrated escalation of the unfortunate and regrettable incidents of the by-election in Ayawaso West Wuogon through pronouncements of distrust of the Police and refusal to appear before the Short Commission, culminating in the false labelling of videos to the diplomatic community.
He noted with dismay that ” it is reported that the former Presidents’ opponents’ campaign meeting of Suame and Tafo NDC delegates was violently disrupted, whilst on Monday 18th February 2019, we hear the leadership of the NDC had to take to their heels for dear life in the midst of armed violence resulting in at least one death.”
In the instances, he said, “the so-called ‘Hawks’, a group apparently dedicated to political violence allegedly formed in the wake of the former Presidents’ campaign “unity walks” and a so-called ‘NDC Task Force’ are cited.”
He averred that “this brazen impunity is not surprising considering the former Presidents’ jingoistic statement from the Volta Region on the events on the fringe of the Awayaso West Wuogon by-election.”
Meanwhile, he said “the NPP condemns the violence without reservation. We should also as a matter of urgency ask the Police to expedite action in bringing the perpetrators to book.”
BY Melvin Tarlue