Cape Coast, Sept 9, GNA - The Central Regional Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has observed that the reported assault on the bodyguard of the NDC flag bearer, Professor John Atta Evans Atta Mills in Cape Coast last Saturday, was without any provocation.

It said the President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor had not been in any danger at the time of the incident as is being speculated in the media and that even if there had been any provocation, it did not warrant the act of "instant justice"

In a statement issued and signed by the regional secretary of the party, Mr Peter Light Koomson at Cape Coast on Tuesday, said it wants to "set the record straight since some distortions being brought into the case would not help to forestall a recurrence of such a situation". The statement explained that the bodyguard, Mr Emmanuel Ewusi, was not assaulted near the Presidential dais, but that he was rather assaulted by the security personnel guarding the President when he went to exchange greetings with the NDC flag bearer.

It consented that the incident occurred on the blind side of both the President and the Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur and that it "suspects that the tumultuous applause Prof Mills received on his triumphant entry into the durbar grounds might have enraged the security personnel and others".

It said it was also untrue that those who had followed Prof. Mills to the durbar had been in NDC paraphernalia.

It would be recalled that the NDC flag bearer's bodyguard was reportedly assaulted when both President Kufuor and Prof Mills joined the chiefs and people of the Oguaa traditional area at a durbar to climax the celebration of this year's Fetu Afahye.

Also present at the function, were the Convention People's Party (CPP) flag bearer Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) running mate.