Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Communications Director of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign, has launched a scathing attack on former President John Mahama for defending the unruly Democracy Hub protesters.
In a post on his Facebook page, Dennis Miracles Aboagye slammed Mahama, citing his own presidency’s checkered past with protests.
“You were President, remember? In 2015, you beat protesters with a horsewhip, poured hot water on them, and opened pepper spray tanks. A gentleman lost an eye and died subsequently.”
Mahama’s Hypocrisy
Dennis Aboagye accused Mahama of hypocrisy, stating, “You condemned the protesters then, but now you’re defending those who engaged in violence and destruction.”
He questioned Mahama’s sincerity, given his past actions.
Democracy Hub Protests
The Democracy Hub protests turned violent, with demonstrators clashing with police, burning tires, and destroying property.
Former President John Mahama condemned the two-week remand of the protesters, labeling it “high-handed” and an “abuse of their rights.”
Aboagye’s Rebuttal
Dennis Miracles Aboagye countered, “The law grants both the right to protest and the mandate for police to maintain public order. You can’t condone violence and destruction in the name of protest.”
He challenged former President Mahama to revisit the protest videos and acknowledge the violence perpetrated by demonstrators.
Below is his Facebook post:
Sir,
You were President, remember?
Sir, in 2015 when some citizens protested under your Presidency, You beat them with Horse tail whips, you poured hot water on them, you opened pepper spray tanks on them. They were called LET MY VOTE COUNT
Your excellency, under your presidency, a gentleman had one his eyes plucked out by the Police at a demonstration and he died subsequently.
All these things sir, happened at a demonstration that, not a single protestor, lifted a finger. You beat them without they blocking our roads unlawfully. You beat them without they burning tyres on our roads or destroying public and private properties.
As a matter of fact, this is a big growth in our democracy, that, our Police in the face of massive provocation, including these rioters basically going on a fist fight with them, burning properties on the streets, disrupting public movement to a critical tertiary hospital, stealing police properties, harassing other citizens going about their peaceful lives. If you will be sincere, you would agree this is a massive improvement over the police you left behind.
The Police in the face of all these rioting and violence didn’t lift a finger but used the same law that grants the rights to protest to deal with these excesses.
Sir, the law that grants the right to protest also grants the mandate of the police and the courts to look into acts of violence and disturbing public peace.
Please go back and watch the videos of what happened that weekend and sincerely tell this country that you believe what these rioters did was a protest or deliberate act of violence.
Your party demonstrated barely a week before these rioters and there was no incindence of clashes with the police or disruption and disturbance of innocent citizens. Infact, the last but one demonstration your party did, your General Secretary had a cause to write to praise the police. Have you wondered why anytime this particular group embarks on any protest, there are clashes even with their few tens of people? But bigger demonstrations like your party did has no such incidence?
If what they did shld happen under your presidency, I’m sure we would have lost lots of protesters’ lives if we recall how you handled similar protests under your presidency.
I’m sure as you made this post, you presumed we have short memories so we may have forgotten. But you told us in the past that, you would use a bulldozer to kill an ant and not just a sledge hammer.
Do you want to go and watch the activities of these rioters again and come back? Or may be, just ask your team to show you videos of protests under your presidency.
I’m sure you are aware most Ghanaians will be cringing and others laughing when they read this post from you right? Never forget you have been president before and we always have to measure your words against your actions.
-BY Daniel Bampoe