The National Chairman of the opposition NDC, Johnson Aseidu Nketia was in the news for declaring that the NDC will not sign a Peace Pact going into the 2024 elections. "Signing a peace declaration doesn’t mean anything to the party, as previous pacts have not yielded any real results,” Asiedu Nketia is reported to have said.

The governing NPP was not at ease with this declaration with some accusing the NDC of preparing itself to reject the 2024 elections because the NDC knew they (NDC) were going to lose. A press release signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua stated that "we have noted with concern that the leadership of the NDC has gained notoriety for consistently beating the drums of war and preparing the minds of their supporters to reject the outcome of the 2024 general elections, foreseeing their inevitable loss."

The same press release also begged the NDC to reconsider its stance and accept to sign a peace declaration. The NPP General Secretary begged that, "the NPP wishes to make a passionate appeal to the NDC to reconsider their posture by reason of the national interest and desist from making statements likely to fuel tensions in the political atmosphere with far-reaching implications for the peace and security of our dear country."

The question is, did the NDC National Chairman say what he said out of vacuum? He made certain declarations that should concern every lover of democracy in Ghana. One of such was when he said; “if you allow violence to brew, it will happen whether you sign a declaration or not. That’s why, more than a year ago, I started talking about the need to remove the building blocks for a violent election.”

In March last year, President Nana Addo appointed and sworn in Dr. Peter Appiahene to the Electoral Commission (EC) as a Commissioner. Dr. Peter Appiahene, until his appointment, was a patron of the NPP’s tertiary institutions wing, TESCON, at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani.

He was also a communicator of the NPP defending the party at various media houses in the Bono Region. Salima Ahmed Tijani, whose family relations are leading members of the NPP was also sworn in as a Commissioner concurrently with Dr. Peter Appiahene.

Neutrality is expected of the EC and the neutrality of these two Commissioners cannot be guaranteed. The opposition at the time called on all well-meaning Ghanaians including the Council of State (CoS), National Peace Council (NPC) and civil society, who normally champion these Peace Pacts during elections, to call on president Nana Addo to withdraw these appointments. These bodies went to sleep when this call was rightly made and we do not expect them to come calling for the signing of a Peace Pact.

The 2020 election was also marred with the killing and injuring of several innocent citizens. This has severely dented the image of Ghana. Never have we seen a single death and several injuries recorded in an election since the Fourth Republic.

The National Election Security Taskforce (NESTF) reported that eight lives were lost during the 2020 general elections, with 61 recorded cases of electoral and post-electoral violence across the country, including six incidents involving gunshots. Till date, neither Nana Addo nor Dr. Bawumia found reason to comment on the killings and disturbances of the 2020 election because it was their doing just to maintain power.

Aseidu Nketia also made statements which we must critically examine before we wrongly call him a war monger. He said, “at any stage when something is happening, I call on those who, in the future, will call us to sign a declaration to speak up and stop it from happening. Otherwise, if you let these issues build up and then say, ‘Let’s play a peace football match, sign a declaration,' and hope for a peaceful election, it won’t work. We did all this and more in 2020."

The CoS and the NPC have cotton wool fixed to their ears when a Cabinet Minister, Bryan Acheampong say they (NPP) will never hand over power to the NDC. He did not just say this once but three times. Two of whom were made at a unity walk to mark Easter celebrations at Mpraeso, Kwahu South Minicipalty in 2023 and 2024 and one at Dr. Bawumia campaign tour in Nsawan this month.

First, he declared that, "if the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 elections, we will let them know we have the men." He further stressed, "It will never happen that we the NPP will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC.”

Exactly a year after these unpatriotic comments, he reinforced; "Last year I stood here in Mpraeso and said that whether NDC likes it or not they will never win the 2024 polls. If you don’t win an election, will power be handed over to you? We will not hand it over to them today or tomorrow."

He misbehaviour did not end. He continued at Dr. Bawumia campaign tour in Nsawan by inciting party members to not yield to any NDC victory. He shouted; "I want to reiterate that whether the NDC likes it or not, they will never win the 2024 elections. They won't win."

He proceeded to add; "so whichever means we will use to win the 2024 elections, we will use it. We are a political party. We have pastors, imams, and traditionalists in the party. Ours is to win the elections. So whichever means we will use to win the elections, we will use it."

The notorious and incendiary comments were made in the presence of the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in all three different occasions. Dr. Bawumia found no reason to distance himself from these treasonable comments and from Bryan Acheampong. He still moves around with the NPP flagbearer around the country for campaigns. Clearly, the minister is having the backing of Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia that is why no police arrest or invitation to him was made.

Hon. Bryan Acheampong is a lawless figure and this is publicly known. The scares of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shooting is just like yesterday. The Emile Short Committee report was short down by the government because Bryan Acheampong and other big wigs of the NPP were or will be implicated if the report were accepted for implementation.

It is not too late for the CoS and the NPC to condemn Hon Bryan Acheampong for his determination to overthrow the constitution to satisfy Dr. Bawumia’s greed and that of his. The CoS and the NPC need to be heard calling on the Attorney General to initiate processes to ensuring that Bryan Acheampong is prosecuted for treason felony to set as an example for other reckless NPP big wigs. The comments of Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Convener of #FixTheCountry warranting his prosecution cannot be anywhere compared to that of Bryan Acheampong.

The CoS, NPC, civil society, faith based organisations and all Ghanaians must do well to ensure this democracy is sustained. Its sustenance is largely dependent on freedom, fairness and justice. Once a level playing field is denied some others, then justice is wholly buried.

The determination of Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia to capture all critical state institutions to dance to their tunes through coercion and questionable appointments is not good for our democracy and dangerous figures like them must be resisted at all cost.

We need to celebrate and support Chairman Aseidu Nketia in fighting for what is right for Ghana. The NDC is responsible for the Fourth Republic and will not do anything to thwart its continuum. It will pain the revered NDC National Chairman if the Fourth Republic's failure is attributed to the NDC and he will never do anything to end something he worked so hard to birth.