Nana Akufo-Addo was the first to congratulate Lydia Alhassan for being the newly elected MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon. This means Nana Akufo-Addo supported the violent process that led to Lydia being elected.
In other words, Nana Addo has re-activated his “all-die-be-die” mantra ahead of the 2020 elections. President Mahama is reported to say if the 2020 elections were to go the violent way the by-election went, NDC will meet the NPP “boot-for-boot. So the battle-line is drawn for 2020. It is either going to be “all-die-be-die or meet the opponent “boot-for boot. I pray that God allows me to see December 7, 2020. It is going to be shaaaa wooooo.
So should elections in Ghana come down to this level? Do we have leadership in Ghana? The Minister in charge of National Security has come out openly to declare that those thugs were from his outfit and that they acted appropriately. Seeing events during elections on video, one wonders why the National Security guy is still at post. The annoying thing is Nana Akufo-Addo, who the NPP sold to us as the champion of rule of law, is behaving as if all that happened was normal. Jean Mensah, the Electoral Commissioner, is also telling us that the by-election at Ayawaso West was conducted in an atmosphere of free and fair. She spoke as if as a Commissioner, she doesn’t know what a free and fair election is.
Before the Ayawaso by-Election, we saw a video of Hon. Peter Otokunor, the deputy secretary of NDC threatening the NPP not to misbehave during by-election. Unfortunately, during the by-election, the NPP misbehaved but Okutonor couldn’t follow through with his threats. This is how the NPP has taken the NDC to be. That is, NDC doesn’t follow up with their threats and that is why the NPP is treating Ghanaians with such contempt. I still don’t know when the NDC will demonstrate against the removal of Mrs Charlotte Osei.
Immediately after the by-Election, there is a video by the National Organizer of NDC, Hon. Joshua Akamba, also threatening that the NDC will have plan B for the 2020 elections. I saw the look on his face and I knew, my man will let it happen. If NDC does not do something to shake the Presidency of Ghana, Ghanaians will take them to be cowards and timid. They will therefore not see the need to sacrifice for them. NPP will continue to bully them and the clergy will quickly come out and plead for calm. Before we know, the NPP would have achieved their aim and still be running the country with disrespect and arrogance. After all, there is no leader to tell them to stop their nonsense. This is where I expected President Rawlings to play a role.
Now, President Mahama is saying the NDC will meet the NPP boot- for-boot in 2020. We have heard this before from other people and nothing happened. If President Mahama who is a gentle, peaceful man will speak like this, it means he was deeply hurt by the violent events on January 31 and wants to peacefully change the status quo. JM was my President and I know what he can do and what he cannot do.
The way he cautioned the NPP not to ever misbehave, I know he has his foot on a stone. I give the benefit of the doubt to Joshua Akamba, that NDC would’ve planned for plan B, had they known that NPP was going the win the by-Election by force. Well, now we know and so they should not leave any stone unturned. NPP will be more sophisticated in stealing the elections in 2020, and if the NDC wants to counter, they should be ahead of the game. NPP, the thief needs to be careless just once but the property owner needs to be careful all the time. The days we train people to protect ballot boxes are over. Now, NDC should train people to protect its voters. We have had enough of the press conference already. If NDC cannot act, we should forget 2020. A word to the wise…………
The writer is the Founder of Friends of John Dramani Mahama (North America)
Phone: 1-703-400-1621
Email: appiah65@hotmail.com
By: Dr. Lawrence Appiah