|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The New Patriotic Party has petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to arrest, investigate and prosecute former President John Dramani Mahama and the Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Party, Johnson Aseidu Nketia for treasonable and offensive conduct.
Mr. Mahama prior to the 2020 general elections said the NDC will face the New Patriotic Party (NPP) boot for boot if the NPP continues to intimidate NDC members with hoodlums and vigilante groups.
He also said the upcoming 2024 general elections will be a ‘do or die’ affair for the NDC.
The National Organiser of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye who sent through petition said these conducts are contrary to Sections 180 and 207 of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (ACT 29) respectively, and which offences are to be dealt with pursuant to Section 1 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (ACT 30).
“Former President John Dramani Mahama, without regard to his stature as a statesman, proudly touted across various platforms, the revolutionary root of the NDC and their unparalleled capacity when it comes to unleashing violence for political gain. Further to this, are his comments to the effect that the NDC’s approach to the elections of 2024 shall be one of “do or die” and “boot-for-boot”. Invariably, this speaks to their unwavering resolve to use fair or foul means to procure electoral advantage regardless of the consequences.”
“When he was asked during a media interview what he meant by ‘boot-for-boot’ and ‘do or die”, and whether with the benefit of hindsight, he would want to retract those incendiary comments, John Dramani Mahama insisted that he meant what he said and that he was never going to retract,” Nana B as he is affectionately called added in the petition.
On the part of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Nana Boakye said he has repeatedly “threatened fire and brimstone” to ensure the victory of the NDC in the 2024 general elections.
“He has disclosed that the elections shall be bloody and that his party was willing and ready to sacrifice lives to ensure their victory in 2024. He is on record to have stated unequivocally during his victory speech following his election as the National Chairman of the NDC, on December 18, 2022, that, it was time for members of the NDC to continue the fight to win the second Independence of Ghana, and that, they are prepared to sacrifice everything including their lives for an NDC victory in the 2024 general elections.”
Nana Boakye’s concern is that given the influential positions John Dramani Mahama and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah occupy, such remarks pose a great risk to the peace and stability of the state, and have the potential of inciting their supporters to disturb the constitutional order by resorting to some unorthodox and extra-constitutional means of changing a democratically elected government.
“On account of the foregoing, I humbly submit that if such vacuous commentary is to be eliminated from our body politic, then high-statured persons such as former President John Dramani Mahama and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman cannot be immune from arrest and investigations, after all, the principle of equality before the law is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic.”
This comes barely 24 hours after the National Democratic Congress petitioned the CID to arrest and prosecute Minister of Agric, Bryan Acheampong who has come under fire for making comments deemed reckless.
