The Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante has called on former President John Dramani Mahama to apologise to the nation for saying the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will match the governing New Patriotic Party boot-for-boot with violence in the 2020 polls.
While addressing NDC delegates in the Adaklu Constituency of the Volta Region on Thursday, 31 January 2019, Mr Mahama said the NDC will match the NPP boot-for-boot in the 2020 elections if the government attempts to intimidate and harass NDC supporters with violence.
The former president’s comment followed a shooting incident at the La-Bawaleshie JHS polling station in the course of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election on the same day. The NDC accused the NPP of being behind the shooting.
Mr Mahama said: “We are not going to joke in 2020, and I’m sounding a warning to the NPP – we are going to match them boot for boot…”
“I want to sound a caution that NDC has a revolutionary root and when it comes to unleashing violence, no one can beat us to that. It is just that we are mindful of this country’s democracy and that is why we must be the first to respect it. That is why we are acting as a party that is docile and respecting the rule of law. But if we believe that the government cannot protect our people and we believe that the government is using its vigilante groups and illegal forces to intimidate and harass and injure our people, then we may have to advise ourselves.”
He added: “We respect the Constitution of this country and the NDC is a democratic party and that’s why we abide by the rules of the Constitution. But the same Constitution says that Ghanaians should resist anybody who attempts to subvert the Constitution. When you go rampaging with forces and intimidating people when they should come out and vote, you are subverting the Constitution. And we have a right to resist you.”
Reacting to Mr Mahama’s warning to the NPP, Rev. Asante told Benjamin Akakpo on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Friday, 1 February 2019, that the former president ought to be circumspect in his speech.
Rev. Asante said: “If President John Mahama did say what he said, then it is very unfortunate because he has been a head of state, he has been the president of the nation, he is vying for his party to make him the presidential candidate, and if the people of Ghana want him again, he could become the president of this nation. And if it is going to be ‘boot-for-boot’ for the nation to be on fire, then there is no mercy for anybody. And I think it is unfortunate that in anger, such things should be said.
“I pray and I want to believe that he didn’t mean it, he did it out of anger. We have to be very circumspect and under such circumstances watch the things that we say.
“If he said that, I would want to say that President Mahama, with all humility, I will plead with him to apologise to the nation. In making that statement, he has really created fear in the hearts of people and it’s not just President Mahama I will say this to, I want to say this to all our leaders, people we are looking up to in this nation; that under such circumstances one would expect that they will be the voice of wisdom, a voice that will calm tension, a voice that will help Ghanaians to be able to say: Indeed, we have leaders. So, please let’s be very careful about these things that we say”.
Touching on the silence of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo 24 hours after the shooting incident, Rev Asante said: “Sometimes, it is important for us to learn native wisdom. The Akans say one who is a leader does not simply jump into situations. When matters happen, you’ll assess the situation, you get all the information before you talk. The thing happened yesterday, it is too early for people to say the president has kept silent on this matter. It is not for me to defend or speak for anybody
Source: asempanews
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AND SUCH A PERSON SAYS HE WANTS TO RULE GHANA AGAIN, SORRY.OVER MY DEAD BODY. IT IS BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE THAT THE WAS NO PEACE IN DAGBON. HE CNA NEVER COME BACK AGAIN.
Peace council should have condemned what happened at the polling yesterday or even call for cancellation of the elections. Why would NPP say its NDC who were shooting? we have now seen the pictures for ourselves. Peace council come again. You are being bias.
disgraced peace council apuuuuu God is watching you all
Unfair and Opk what do you want the man to do? what us unfair about what he said when you were displaying arrogance and impunity in power and he talked for you that was fair then and when you met your match that's unfair? this shows ndc hypocrisy and cowardice! you ain't seen nothing yet! if you people are ready to die for john mahama and his ndc for him to celebrate his sons birthday costing ghs1 million when you have nothing to eat that's your folly and who cares? in any case, unfair what was the azorka and your Hawks doing in that house? what was their mission? listen, what goes around comes around, the evil that men do lives after them! have you forgotten so soon about Chereponi, agbogbloshie, Talensi, Atiwa, Akwatia and Ahafo in the BA where Collins Dauda's brother was killing Ghanaians? then the short memories belong to the ndc but not Ghanaians as your leader John mahama said..... if I were an ndc member I would have kept quiet and think of a better strategy which is the development of this nation with good policies and vision than violence because if you don't win a war you become a captive and you obey whatever your master say! are you sure you will win the war John mahama is calling for since ndc weaponry are archaic and rusted? we are in a sophisticated world and are you ready? is ndc that sophisticated with this your nkurasesem? you joking, call for jaw jaw but mot war war you will lose!
Ahhh! Peace Council is a disgrace to natural justice. What have you said so far about the incidence? In fact this has shown me that NPP is indeed losing grounds if they can win this bye election without violence. Akuffo Addo must be ready to go to ICC if this is how he will conduct 2020 elections
So what weee you expecting President Mahama to say, that NDC will look on as they are being attacked by NPP tugs? You must be joking.
What a violence council so called Peace council. What hypocrisy is this. Mahama said nothing wrong. If there’s no boot, there won’t be boot so why attack him instead? You need Christ
If John mahama think violence will bring him to power that's why he formed his Hawks and Snakes then he should be prepared for what he will pay fir, Ghanaians rejected him and will reject him over and over again and the violence he want will rest in his party, his party will turn against him like what happened in their national officers conference. Nobody is afraid of him and he should know his 4 regions can't give him power, he is incompetent and will always be incompetent! his love for violence that led him to choose Maj. Gen Atiku as his head of security as nd the his formation of those ***barred word*** and coward hungry vigilante group to intimidate Ghanaians is what his party got ! John mahama is not an intelligent person else he would have advised his idi*ot national officers he sponsored for them to be chosen to behave well but not take this by-election as a dress rehearsal for his 2020 bid which he has lost in advance! he was aware the azorka boys and his Hawks were there to disrupt the election and was happy for their mission and when they got beaten he is talking nons*ense ! obiaa ny3 obiaa! Ghanaians are ready for himself and his ndc nons*ense ! biribi anko ka papa a ennyi kyerede ! ndc kukruku no gyae a NPP kek3kek3 no nso begyae! John mahama should behave like a stateman not a thug ! calling for war for power will render you usel*ess ! Ghanaians don't like you and your ndc and you can go to HELL Mr incompetence and Talensi dress rehearsal! you sent azorka boys to snatch ballot boxes and they net their match that's all! ndc can whine and we Hine and whine and who cares? obiaa wo ne master! everyday was ndc now they meet their match and crying for sympathy ! SORRY nothing for you so called we come from revolution so violence is our food, eat and get fed full! and vomit afterwards! John mahama can't put fear in anyone! Ghanaians take heart you are safe and have confidence in our president the man Akufo Addo, the brave and courageous man will take care of everything ! No bloody fears ! let ndc continue to bark you are in safe hands! grandson of jakpata or whatever can't do foko !
This so called peace council guy is nothing but a hypocrite, the chimp head president presides over terrorism and all you see wrong is someones response? What an appology of a peace council!
I find this unfair from the peace council, what are you people saying about the invisible forces that came to the polling stations? Where did they get the aminitions from? Ghana is sitting on time bomb and it will soon explode.....this favouritism and partialism must stop.....I am disappoint you did not mention a word of what happen yesterday but rather attack Mahama over something which is yet to come.....God bless our homeland Ghana