Appiah Stadium
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate release of the party’s serial caller, Appiah Stadium.
“We demand the immediate release of Appiah Stadium from police custody now in the interest of the stability of the state,” a statement by the party’s Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer, Yaw Brogya Genfi, said in a statement.
He also gave government a 24-hour ultimatum to release Appiah Stadium or face the party’s wrath.
“The release of Appiah Stadium from police custody is non-negotiable, as such we give the Akufo-Addo government 24 hours to produce him or we take every means possible to get Appiah out,” he added.
Appiah Stadium was arrested for saying in a recent audio that went viral that President Nana Akufo-Addo smokes wee.
The police in the Ashanti Region arrested him on Tuesday following orders from the national headquarters in Accra.
The Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), ASP Juliana Obeng, told Citi Fm, “We got instructions from the national headquarters to help them with the arrest of Appiah Stadium and that is exactly what we have done.
“As I speak to you, Appiah Stadium is on his way to the national CID headquarters. When we arrested him, immediately we put him in a car off to Accra,” she added.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia aka General Mosquito, seems to have backed Appiah Stadium for raining insults on President Akufo-Addo.
According to him, even though morally he doesn’t support Appiah Stadium’s abusive comments against the president, in the legal arena the NDC supporter, who is based in Kumasi, has not breached any law.
He stated that there is no law in the country that orders for the arrest of people that would verbally attack the president, noting that Nana Akufo-Addo contributed to create this problem in the country.
In this regard, General Mosquito insisted that it is totally wrong for anybody, especially the security agencies in the state, to apprehend Appiah Stadium for expressing his views, which is permitted by law.
“Appiah Stadium only expressed his mind about the president, which he has the right to do, because the Constitution clearly gives every Ghanaian the right to the freedom of expression,” he said on Hello FM.
Criminal Libel Law
General Mosquito noted that Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should rather be blamed for creating the platform for Appiah Stadium to rain the insults on the sitting president of the land.
According to him, the founding fathers of the country realized that if Criminal Libel Law is repealed, certainly some people might take advantage of it and openly abuse people in high positions one day.
In the wisdom of the founders of the state, he said, the Criminal Libel Law was necessary to restrain people from having the pomposity to go out and insult people, who are occupying high positions in the country.
Mr Asiedu Nketia noted that the existence of the Criminal Libel Law ensured that people always showed respect to people in authority until the law was repealed by Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP.
“Immediately, the NPP won the 2000 elections, Nana Akufo-Addo, who was the then Attorney General ((AG), led the crusade to repeal the Criminal Libel Law. The NDC warned against the repeal of the law but they did not listen.”
The NDC general secretary said Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP should not get worried over Appiah Stadium’s utterances since he is legally permitted to express his views as the freedom expression in the Constitution clearly states.
Protection For Appiah
Asiedu Nketia suggested that instead of arresting Appiah Stadium, the security agents should rather offer the needed protection and guidance for him for legally expressing his views.
Past Insults
Still defending Appiah Stadium’s behaviour, Asiedu Nketia stated that appointees in the Akufo-Addo administration, notably Otiko Afisa Djaba, are on record to have insulted ex-President Mahama, whom she (Otiko) labeled as “wicked person.”
He also recounted how some NPP members constantly hurled insults on former President Atta Mills and went scot-free, noting that it is legally not permissible for anybody to arrest Appiah Stadium over his conduct.
“You may disagree with his comments but you must protect his rights to say it,” Asiedu Nketia urged the security agencies, adding that Nana Akufo-Addo should order for protection for Appiah Stadium.
Appiah, a serial caller in the NDC who is an ardent supporter of ex-President Mahama, recorded a two-minute audio in which he rained insults on President Akufo-Addo without provocation.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi