A deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says he is appalled at the flak being directed at Director of Communications at the Presidency, Koku Anyidoho. The deputy minister says he is “getting increasingly sick” with reactions, especially from members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), following Mr Anyidoho’s response to their ‘all die be die’ mantra.

To him, the call for Koku’s head is misplaced and very hypocritical on the part of the opposition adding that the “NPP’s double standards and sheer hypocrisy is simply amazing”.

“I am increasingly getting sick of the hypocrisy of the NPP. Why did Nana Akufo-Addo (flag-bearer of NPP) say he will win power at all cost in 2012? Why did Mac-Manu, a former chairman of the NPP say they will import guns into the country? They must stop beating war drums,” he said.

It would be recalled that the former NPP National Chair, a couple of weeks ago, stated in an interview that “we (NPP) no go sit down make them (NDC) cheat us every day”, thus accusing the NDC of always been an aggressor in electoral violence in the country.

He vowed that the NPP will use sticks, stones including license guns to defend themselves if the ruling party NDC attempts to rig next year’s elections.

In a rather sharp response, the Director of Communications at the Presidency told a London-based news network, Focus Radio that the government will deal with the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP National Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Peter Mac-Manu if they dare incite their supporters to engage in any form of electoral violence next year.

Contributing to discussions on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme, the deputy Information minister was extremely critical of civil society’s loud silence saying “there are comments made in public by some individuals that you will expect people to rise up and condemn but they will never do it and when you ask them they will tell you they didn’t hear but when anybody from NDC makes any comment, he is crucified”.

“President Mills has tried to respond very subtly to some of these violent comments but as typical fine of finest gentleman he is, he has responded by pleading on Ghanaians to respect peace and allow due process,” he added.