The aspiring flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joshua Alabi has described what happened yesterday at Ayawaso West Wuguon By-election as a scar on our Democracy.
In a statement issued by his outfit, he condemned the violence being visited upon law abiding citizens who were exercising a democratic right to vote in the election.
Read full statement below:
I have been informed of the incidence of shooting and other related acts of violence in unprovoked attacks, resulting in some members of our great NDC party sustaining serious injuries during the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency by-election.
While I commiserate with the injured and traumatized victims, I wish to absolutely condemn these acts of violence being visited upon law abiding citizens who are exercising a democratic right to vote in an election.
I have also been briefed about the unusual activities of supposed police men clad in unfamiliar uniforms with masks, armed with AK-47 assault riffles with no badge numbers or name tags and patrolling within the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency in a manner that voters find intimidating.
The Ghana Police Service owes itself a duty to explain the use of such an unkown unit in a by-election of this sort, investigate the horrendous crimes committed today and prosecute the culprits in no time.
While I lend my support to the national leadership of our party as they address these matters through democratic means, I wish to call on party supporters to be resolute and not be intimidated by persons who believe that the only way to win political power is to deploy force and voilence.
The use of violence in elections and within the conduct of any democratic exercise cannot and will not be countenanced in the run up to the 2020 general elections. The government and all State institutions mandated to maintain law and order must remain loyal to our sacred Constitution and rid our politics of all forms of violence.
I wish the injured NDC members a speedy recovery and assure them of my sincerest sympathies and utmost support in these difficult times.
Prof. Joshua Alabi
Thursday, January 31st, 2019
Sunyani
Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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Wake up Ghanaians. I am very disappointed in many commenting on the violence at January 31 By-Election. The Security forces saved the elections and the nation from a very unfortunate embarrassment situation that the gang in the the NDC candidate house would have cause. What Ghanaian need to do investigate is what the gangs in the in NDC candidates were doing. Who brought such a big number of vigilantes there and what was their agenda. NDC claim that they were to monitor the election. If they were to monitor the election they would have received accreditation and be dispatched to the polling stations at or before 7.00 am. The vigilantes had been kept in the house to be dispatched all at the same time to snatch ballot boxes and beaten any body who would have resist them. If they had succeeded to do that who would have been blamed? The police and the security forces would have been blamed for incompetent. The President and NPP government would have been blamed to have failed to execute and protect just a constituency election. if this morning everybody is going about their duties freely and discussing about the election it is all because the security forces acted on their intelligence and nip the diabolic agenda in the bud. It is shamefull and irresponsible for Mahama to have made such a statement. He will never again be entrusted with power.
TELL THE IGP THAT THESE ARE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND THAT THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT IS WAITING FOR HIM AND HIS BOSS NANA ADDO. IT WILL HAPPEN LIVE FOR US TO SEE. IF THAT IS WHY HE IS STILL IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE SERVICE AFTER PASSING THE RETIREMENT AGE OF 60 YRS THEN HE SHOULD WAIT TO ANSWER ONE DAY.