NDC condemns violence at npp headquarters
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed disgust at the accusation by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the NDC masterminded what it calls “the shameful incident that took place at the NPP headquarters in Accra” last Tuesday.
Violent protests by some aggrieved supporters of the NPP disrupted a press conference called by the party's National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko, and the General Secretary, Mr Kwabena Adjei Agyepong.
The headquarters of the party was the scene of violent confrontation among different factions of the party with some supporters besieging the headquarters and threatening to attack the party’s General Secretary.
The two were addressing a press conference on the controversy over a recent directive to the party's acting Director of Communications, Mr Perry Okudzeto, to proceed on leave.
In a statement signed by Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, the National Organiser of the NDC, it reminded Ghanaians that acts of violence and vandalism was nothing new in the NPP family.
“We would not have bothered ourselves with the ongoing internal wrangling of the NPP, since this has consistently become their trademark. But the fact that they falsely accuse the NDC of masterminding the unfortunate incident, we have no other option than bring to the public our position for the good people of this country to make their own judgement,” it stated.
Ironically, the statement said Mr Paul Afoko himself was a victim of attack by the NPP hoodlums, pointing it out that he was severely attacked at the party’s conference in 2007.
The statement further said the NPP’s Conference at Suhum to elect a parliamentary aspirant turned bloody resulting in the postponement of that election on countless dates.
According to the NDC statement, a similar conference in Ho witnessed indiscriminate throwing of petrol bombs, causing injuries.
According to the NDC, a leading member of the party, Dr Wereko Brobby, was nearly lynched at the party’s headquarters for his comments on the election petition when he was summoned by the NPP’s Council to explain what they described as anti-party conduct, though he was exercising his democratic right as a Ghanaian.
The statement said these episodes were but a few examples of NPP’s violent escapades and that the NPP’s undemocratic and violent jaunt was not limited to their followers.
According to the NDC statement, the party last Tuesday demonstrated once again that they were anti-media as media personnel who had gone to cover the press conference had to run for their lives.
The statement said NDC would like to remind the NPP that their actions and inaction were potentially inimical to the growth and development of the country’s fledgling democracy, which has become a model for the outside world.
The statement, therefore, urged the NPP executives to endeavour to address concerns of arrogance, confusion, conflicts, and disrespect for party rules and regulations which have consistently been raising tensions and violence in their party to save lives and property.
“We expect the NPP as a major opposition party, to exhibit a high sense of responsibility and caution by shunning acts that have the tendency to disturb the peace in the country,’’ the statement stressed.
