Stop threatening violence – Peace Council urges political parties
The National Peace Council (NPC) is closely monitoring the political discourse ahead of the December 7 polls and will not hesitate to call out political parties and politicians who cross the red line by threatening violence, the National Chairman of the Council, Rev. Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, has said.
He said though it was a normal practice for political actors to be optimistic about winning elections, it was unacceptable for them to resort to threats of violence to achieve electoral results.
“There is nothing wrong when politicians make statements that they are optimistic of winning an election because no one goes to an election and hopes to lose. If they make such comments, that is okay as long as they do not cross the red line by threatening to use the police, the military or other means of violence,” he stressed.
Rev. Dr Adu-Gyamfi, who stated this in an interview with Graphic Online’s Timothy Ngnenbe on Monday said to the extent that the declarations by political parties to win elections by all means possible were not laced with threats of violence, it should be regarded as part of the campaign process.
He, however, called on the leaders of political parties to remain committed to the pact they signed on July 3 this year, to conduct, “a peaceful campaign devoid of personal attacks, name-calling, insults, personality attacks and other indecent campaign practices ahead of the December 7, 2024, polls”.
Context
The NPC Chairman said this against the backdrop of statements made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi in the Eastern Region, Bryan Acheampong, that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would win the December polls “by all means possible”.
Mr Acheampong, who doubles as the Minister of Agriculture, has been criticised by a section of the public for consistently making comments that suggested that the NPP would hold on to power against all odds.
On April 8, 2023, Mr Acheampong set tongues wagging when he indicated during a health walk by the NPP at Mpraeso that the NPP would not hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) because the latter would never win the elections.
During another health walk by the NPP on March 30 this year to mark the Easter festivities, he reiterated that the NDC would not win the 2024 general election to warrant a handover by the NPP.
“Last year, I stood here in Mpraeso and said that whether NDC likes it or not they will never win the December 7 polls and therefore the NPP will not hand over power to them because they cannot win the elections. If you cannot win elections why do you want power to be given to you at all cost?” he asked in the Twi language.
“As of that time, I made the statement, Ghana was confronted with economic challenges, which made it difficult for contractors to do their work and were unable to continue Agenda 111 projects among others”, Mr Acheampong added.
During a campaign tour of Nsawam in the Eastern Region last Saturday, the lawmaker stressed that the NPP had pastors, Imams and traditionalists as its members and would use every means possible to win the elections.
“I have said that whether the NDC likes it or not, they will never win the 2024 elections. They will not win. You can check their records. The NPP exists to win elections,” Mr Acheampong declared.
NDC’s reaction
Mr Acheampong’s comments once again raised eyebrows, with some people saying that such a posture had the potential to disrupt the peace of the country.
Amid the brouhaha, the NDC Deputy National Communication Officer, Malik Basintale, responded strongly by saying that the NPP would hand over power if they lose the elections.
Mr Basintale, who gave the response at the NDC’s Upper West Regional campaign launch, cautioned Mr Acheampong and the NPP not to attempt to hold on to power if former President John Mahama wins.
“We just observed when he [Bryan Acheampong] attempted to take over the hotels, and we intervened. And now he dares to say he will not hand over power to former President Mahama?
I have a message for him; on December 7 if the people vote for John Mahama and your MPs and if he is truly a man, let him refuse to hand over power, and he will see what happens. When iron meets iron, you will see fire,” he stressed.
Reject violence
For her part, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy, described politicians who sought to use violence to achieve political power as enemies of the country’s democracy.
She consequently urged the electorate to reject such mongers of violence and disorder by voting against them on December 7.
“No voter should shed any blood or risk their lives for politicians who promise violence because they are a danger to peace and order. They should go out with their children to carry out the violence they promise, not you the voters,” she stressed.
Ms Addy added that violence-thirsty politicians must remember that their interest in political power was not more important than the peace and order the country needed for development.
Calm
Touching on the current state of affairs, Ms Addy urged political actors to prioritise the peace of the country by desisting from comments that could inflame passions.
She reminded politicians who were fond of making such utterances to bear in mind that the Public Order Act had provided dire consequences for persons who acted violently to disrupt public peace and order.
Ms Addy said the NCCE would continue to sensitise members of the public to the need to conduct electoral activities within the confines of the law.