The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) of conniving with tthe ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to train thugs ahead of the 2020 general elections.
The NDC says it has evidence the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is training thugs at Asutsuare Military Training Camp.
But the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied the allegations of scheming with the government.
However, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Aseidu Nketsia is convinced the GAF is in a compromising position to speak the truth.
“The Military service is under the Commander in -Chief which is the President, so how do you expect them to be neutral in this? They will only defend the government…… mind you, deception is a strategy used in war, they initially denied training thugs then later said, those trainees are Forestry guards. The military’s statement is a cover up to defend the government,” he said.
According to him the NDC, despite the Military’s attempt to salvage the situation, still insists that it has evidence the NPP is training thugs to cause mayhem in the upcoming general elections.
“We have evidence the NPP is using state installation to train thugs at Asutsuare, we cannot trust the Military so the onus lies on the media to visit the training camp and tell us what is really happening on the grounds,” he said.
BACKGROUND
Flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama had earlier alleged that he had evidence the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) was training thugs at Asutuare to cause mayhem during the 2020 election.
Mr. Mahama said he prays the level of violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election is not repeated on a nationwide scale.
“We remember what happened in Ayawaso West Wuogon. I pray that, God forbid, nothing like that ever happens again. But you know the issue of vigilantes, especially one party is training vigilantes. I remember at the time of Ayawaso West Wuogon, there was a letter that came out asking party executives to bring able-bodied people to be trained as security.
“Since then, we have evidence that those people have been to Asutuare and trained in batches over and over again in all kinds of combat techniques and other things. It is a worry that Ayawaso West Wuogon will be repeated on a larger scale than it did,” Mr. Mahama said.
In a rebuttal statement signed by Communication Director Yaw Buaben Asamoa, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said: “The NPP emphatically denies any knowledge or participation in any wild claim of ‘military training’ to disrupt the upcoming elections in 2020”.
“Mahama misled the people when he was President and now misleading them with lies in opposition”.
But the NDC in its latest statement signed by its Director of Communications Sammy Gyamfi said: “We have in our possession pictures and other pieces of indisputable evidence about ongoing training of more of these thugs at Asutuare towards election 2020 as was revealed by President Mahama.
“It is obvious from the overwhelming evidence available to us on this matter, that President Akufo-Addo himself is the chief mastermind and promoter of these illegal acts which threaten the very core of our democracy.”