General News of Monday, 4 February 2019

Source: mynewsgh.com

Back out; no one will make you president if ‘boot-to-boot’ is your new mantra - Lecturer jabs Mahama

Former president John Dramani Mahama Former president John Dramani Mahama

A UK based lecturer, Dr Da Costa Aboagye has called on former President John Dramani Mahama to reconsider his bid to become flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) because the seat of government is not for violent people, MyNewsGh.com reports.

While addressing NDC delegates in Adaklu Constituency of the Volta Region on Thursday, January 31 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.

According to Mr Mahama “NDC is not going to joke in 2020, and he is sounding a warning to the NPP that he and his party will match NPP 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 warned.



But in an exclusive interview with MyNewsGh.com, Dr Aboagye condemned Mr Mahama’s speech and suggested that the former president ought to reconsider his bid to become NDC’s flagbearer as the Jubilee House is not for violent people nor party to unleash violence on Ghanaians.

“While your predecessor and the President of the Republic , Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is busy making history in ending conflicts like the Dagbon crisis and epitomizing peace, you are sounding a caution to unleash violence on Ghanaians” Dr Aboagye stated.

He wondered if former President Mahama is not the same person who condemned the minor incident that characterized the aftermath of the presidential and parliamentary elections, suggesting it could tarnish the country’s image as the beacon of democracy and constitutional governance at the 12th congregation of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) at Greenhill.

“Again, is former president Mahama not the same person who said violence in Talensi was unacceptable and urged the security services to learn lessons? He quizzed.

Why is Mr Mahama now calling on his supporters and his party to match the NPP boot -for -boot to tarnish the country’s image as the beacon of democracy and constitutional governance? Dr Aboagye questioned.



In his view, Ghanaians do not want anybody to unleash violence on them but aspire to protect the constitutional governance and democracy Mr Mahama benefited as President.

“So if Mr Mahama has now changed and sounding a caution to unleash violence on Ghanaians, then we Ghanaians must assure him that the Presidency is certainly not for violent people nor party” Dr Aboagye stated.

To this end, he called on the former president to reconsider his bid to lead the NDC as its torch bearer for the 2020 polls.