NPP’s Communications Director, Yaw Boabeng Asamoah addressing the media
THE RULING New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that the killing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) member in Kumasi yesterday was underpinned by former president John Dramani Mahama’s infamous boot for boot comment.
According to the ruling party, the former president is to be blamed for the current violence in the opposition party.
NPP’s Communications Director, Yaw Boabeng Asamoah said this when he addressed journalists at his party’s asylum down national headquarters in Accra.
He said NPP condemns the killing of the NDC member in a gun battle in Kumasi.
The shooting incident which occurred on Monday, February 18, around mid day left NDC member, Wasihu Idrisu dead according to Police report.
A team of personnel reportedly proceeded to the scene of crime and preliminary investigations have disclosed that, today around 09:30 hrs, the National Executives of the NDC, notably; the party chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Gen. Secretary, Asiedu Nkatia, and the Dep. General Secretary, Barbara Asamoah arrived at the party office to convene a meeting among party members purposely to address various grievances among the party members.
The Ashanti Reg. Executives of the party were also in attendance.
It was further disclosed that before the commencement of this meeting, about 20 party thugs, known as “the Hawks” riding on motor bikes arrived at the party office and converged at the compound.
The second party thugs also known as the “Task force” about 15 members were also in attendance at the compound, according to police.
Whilst the meeting was in session in the office, a confrontation emerged at the compound between some members of the two groups emanating from a long standing feud among them, the Ashanti Regional Police Command said.
The Police said the suspect nicknamed “Warrior” a member of “the Hawks” attacked deceased Wasihu Idrisu, aged 34, and pulled a pistol from his waist, and shot him multiple times.
Victim Abdul Rahman Issah, a member of the task force who attempted to disarm “the Warrior” was also shot multiple times. The suspect and his group quickly boarded their motor bikes and rode off.
Deceased Wasihu Idrisu was rushed to the KATH Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, according to the Police.
Mr. Boabeng Asamoah stated that when President Akufo-Addo condemned the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shootings, the former president rather choose to call for “boot-for-boot”.
He said Mr. Mahama and the NDC sought to deliberately infuse a sense of political violence in the country ahead of the 2020 elections.
He condemned the former president for peddling what he termed as falsehoods about the Ayawaso West Wuogon shooting incident.
According to him, the NPP was completely different from the NDC.
Whilst the NDC is violent, he said the NPP was concerned about its responsibility to masses and economic growth, adding that the NPP has been the only party that has been pro-poor.
He wondered why the NDC which doubted the credibility of the Police Service to probe the Ayawaso West Wuogon shootings has now found faith in the Police to probe the Kumasi killing.
BY Melvin Tarlue