Nothing can justify the death of a single soul after an election. The demise of the NDC sympathiser is very regrettable. One fatality after a constitutionally mandated national process is one life too many, and it should not be countenanced by any stretch of the imagination. For those who think otherwise, this is an unfortunate callous act that diminishes the name of the nation. In addition, it has also taken the shine out of an election, which has gone down as one of the most successful in the history of the Fourth Republic, if not the 59 years of our political history.

It should be made clear, and I don’t think anybody will dispute that any form of violence is unacceptable. Besides, any such against even the least citizen is a crime not to mention taking out a precious life with love ones. I even think taunting your opponent after such a hard-fought battle, to me, is childish and backward. Nana Akufo-Addo in his acceptance speech made it clear that he will be a president for all Ghanaians. To that effect, why will any of his supporters think otherwise. Anybody who does not agree to such proclamation and scheme to take somebody’s life is not fit to live in a civilised society.

However, Sidi Abubakar Musah, the NDC national youth organizer, in a press conference a few days ago, sought to infuse life back into their election slogans that backfired beyond redemption that Nana is a violent man. He galloped from one corner of the universe to the other to prove a connection between Nana and the criminal activities of some hoodlums who have taken advantage of the euphoria of the NPP supporters to have their pound of flesh.

I can’t believe that they are still exhibiting their gross incompetence in full flare after the nation has delivered its resounding verdict partly due to that. Ghana is not a banana republic; it’s a nation of law with the constitution as the backbone. Nana Akufo Addo is only the President Elect. He cannot order the movement of the armed forces. That prerogative still belongs to the outgoing president whose mandate ends when the new president is sworn in on the 7th of January. I feel I am teaching school boys here. Why should the president or president elect be hauled into this equation? It is the constitutional duty of the police to go after these thugs, and they made a political football out of it. I thought I should mention this in passing.

It’s beyond comprehension that a person like Sidi cannot give up this ‘all die be die’ foolishness that was borne out of provocation. It needs to be made clear that the activities of macho men in our body politics is a concept fashioned and developed by the NDC to intimidate their opponents mainly the NPP. Well, because they have got a lot of unscrupulous people to do their dirty work they can stand on the highest pedestal and claim moral superiority when they are even terrible than the devil. As a result of one statement, induced by their own incendiary activities, this man has been vilified by children who are still wearing nappies who cannot even change it themselves.

Any sensible person should ask this simple question. Why will Nana take delight in the murder of an unsung NDC sympathiser? Think about it, he now has the power which will be officially conferred on him come 7th January. As a lawyer, if he chooses, he can go after his adversaries through constitutional means and lock them up, but he won’t. He is not as vindictive like their founder who deliberately schemed to collapse the businesses of his opponents like Akenten Appiah Menka – destroying the jobs of his own citizens that he was paid to protect.

We don’t even talk about the broad day and midnight brutalities, including murders, that was brought to bear on innocent Ghanaians during the 80s and 90s. Because time has done its job of healing, amnesia has set in to dull the memories of that dark night of our history. Strangely, they have the incredible audacity to label someone as violent. It’s only ignorance that can do such a damage to someone’s mind.


Philip Kobina Baidoo Jnr
London
baidoo_philip@yahoo.co.uk