Mahama pleads with Nananom to caution NPP over electoral violence

Former President John Dramani Mahama

John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has pleaded with Nananom to caution the president and the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) over possible electoral violence.

According to him, the NDC is known in the history of Ghanaian politics as a peaceful party, and there is no way violence has been associated with the party.

Mahama, speaking to the chiefs and people of the Bono Region during his campaign tour stated: “The NDC are known to be peaceful. You won’t see the NDC engaging in violent activity but [our] opponents are known to be violent. Look at what they did during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections. The President disregarded the Emile Short Commission’s [....] recommendation on the person who engaged in the act. They are still carrying the guns which were used on the NDC around.

“The saddest aspect of the whole thing is that the NPP leadership [is] threatening to do more in the December 7 elections. Nana, it is right to advise all your children but it is about time you make it clear to the ruling party that they are violent and we’re cautioning you against such activities. We [NDC] won’t bring trouble,” he added.

Mahama, the immediate past president, stated that it is God who appoints kings and if God has appointed you as a king, you will definitely get it no matter what and if he [God] has not appointed you as a king whatever that you do, you will definitely not become a king.

He then promised the chiefs and people: “The NDC will not engage in any violent activity; we don’t have any gun, we have not trained any vigilante group to be working for the party because we know Ghanaians will be very vigilant in the elections”.