NDC, NPP Accuse Each Other Of Plotting Mayhem, 16 Days To December 7 Polls

The two major political parties, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and opposition National Democratic (NDC) are at each other’s throat, throwing accusations against one another, barely two weeks to the general elections.

The parties at a separate press conference, have levelled different accusations at each other with the NPP, hitting back at their main opponents of training thugs to disrupt the December election, after the latter, held its own presser on Tuesday, to make its version of allegation.

The violence, they claim is being plotted, specifically in the Ashanti Region, which is gradually becoming a battle ground for the two parties due to its huge voter numbers.

The parties have both declared, they would make their evidence available to the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

In the case of NPP, their claim against the NDC is that, the opposition party, is conspiring to incite chaos in the Ashanti Region, being the ruling party’s stronghold.

They alleged that, this is part of a grand scheme, led by retired COP Kofi Boakye, to cause apathy and intimidate voters from coming out to vote for the NPP, whiles denying accusations made by the NDC as baseless.

National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, made the allegation against the NDC during a counter-press conference held at the party’s headquarters at Asylum in Accra yesterday, Wednesday, November 20.

“Information available to the NPP reveals that several months ago, the NDC has been training thugs in various communities, including Obuasi East constituency, under the guise of private security training. These individuals are being prepared to disturb the electoral process, particularly in the Ashanti region, which is the NPP’s stronghold,” he alleged.

He further claimed that, in recent times, the NPP, has discovered that the NDC is supporting illegal miners to cause confusion in the elections.

According to him, “We are aware that recently on November 11, 2024, the NDC committee on mining led by one Toney Aubynn, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, held a secret meeting with some NDC small-scale miners at the Conference Hall of Mawuli Hotel in the Obuasi West Municipality.

“One of the aims of the meeting was to recruit some members of the pro-NDC small-scale miners to form part of the NDC’s Eagle Force Vigilante Group which will be deployed to some NPP polling stations to cause mayhem on election day”.

The NPP National Organiser, went on to accuse the NDC of several actions that could jeopardise the election, including arming the said thugs and using state ambulances to transport weapons to these thugs in their various communities.

Kidnapping & Robbery

Mr Boakye, affectionately called ‘Nana B’, also stated that the NPP, has gathered intelligence, suggesting that the NDC intends to fuel kidnapping and armed robbery activities to create fear and intimidation, especially in NPP strongholds.

He emphasised that knowing this, the NPP, will not allow the NDC to have its way.

“These deceitful strategies will not work under our watch,” he said, insisting that the NPP will not allow anyone to rig the election.

Rigging Claim

Earlier, the NDC led by its national Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi at a press conference on Tuesday, November 19, revealed what it alleges to be an evil plot by the ruling NPP to rig the 2024 election through ballot stuffing, swapping of ballot boxes, swapping of pink sheets, among others.

The party pointed accusing fingers at the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, saying it has contracted the General Officer Commanding of the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Brigadier-General Michael Opoku, to help the party carry out its rigging machinery.

Mr Gyamfi, who addressed the media at the party’s headquarters, accused Brigadier-General Opoku of having a notoriety for masterminding election-related violence after he was indicted by the Emile Short Commission for being ultimately responsible for the shooting incident at the La Bawalashie school park during the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

“Brigadier-General Opoku has been mandated by President Akufo Addo to take charge of a well-crafted scheme that has been designed by the New Patriotic Party to rig the upcoming election, particularly in the Ashanti region, through ballot stuffing, swapping of ballot boxes, swapping of pink sheets, and other clandestine activities starting with the special voting exercise scheduled for December 2nd,” the head of the NDC’s National Communications Bureau alleged.

The NDC claims it has credible intelligence of the presence of weapons, illegally-printed ballot papers, military apparels and other election materials meant for the alleged rigging plot in the Kumasi residence of Brigadier-General Michael Opoku.

In NDC’s quest to ameliorate the issue, it appealed to the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police who is the Chairman of the Elections Security Task Force to investigate the issues in the interest of peaceful, free and fair elections, vowing to resist any attempts to use violence in the 2024 elections.

Petition Otumfour

The party, has also served notice of petitioning various foreign missions, Ghana’s development partners, His Royal Majesty, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene and others on the development, including the two top security capos.

Ammy Gyamfi, has in a follow up interview, disclosed that the party has enough evidence to buttress its allegations on the NPP’s alleged election-rigging tactics.

According to him, the party did not put any information before the media, because the whole matter bothers on security, which is an issue that is not discussed in the open.

Speaking with Captain Smart on Onua TV’s morning show, Maakye, Wednesday, November 20, Mr Gyamfi, said the party will disclose their evidence to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, whom they will petition over the revelations on plans to rig the December polls.

“We have put our intelligence out and when the CDS and the IGP call us, we’ll present our evidence to them. These are security issues so we don’t put our sources and evidence in the open,” he stated on Onua TV.

Source: Anchorghana.com