General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has said the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) may probably be behind the failed assassination attempt on President John Mahama.

He said the NPP which has the ability to rope in a lunatic into its “Won Gbo” demonstration held last February, may well have the capacity to hire the services of a mad man like Charles Antwi who wanted to slay the President to do its bidding.

An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday sentenced Charles Antwi to 10 years imprisonment after he visited the President’s church at the Ringway Assemblies of God Church last Sunday to kill him.

The sentencing of the convict who is believed by a section of the public to be mentally unstable has sparked arguments over why the presiding Judge, Francis Obiri, failed to have Charles Antwi examined before he hurriedly jailed him. Others including his family are pleading that he should be freed because he is sick.

But Johnson Asiedu Nketiah in an interview on Okay FM thought otherwise, insisting that Charles Antwi must not be left off the hook, because he was fully aware of what he intended to do and the consequences thereof.

He expressed surprise why members of the NPP were strongly speaking in support of the convict when he had planned such an evil act against the leader of the country.

“I’ve monitored discussions on the various radio stations and I am amazed how the NPP always back this man who wanted to harm our President. The defence of this criminal is unfortunate and must cease."

Mr Asiedu Nketiah called for detailed investigations into the matter to establish who the possible conspirators may be.