The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Ofosu Ampofo says he will on Monday honour an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police following some comments he allegedly made in a leaked audio.
The recording, which the NDC claims is doctored, appears to have its chairman condoning political violence and urging threats against the lives of some personalities including the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
[contextly_sidebar id=”ztsf2tPt0AHw007KholaZD0wwoGYDUAL”]Mr. Ofosu Ampofo was initially expected to be at the CID head office in Accra on February 28, 2019, but did not show up.
He, however, said his lawyers have sent word to the CID of his intent to appear and assist with investigations.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo while addressing party supporters at an NDC peace walk on Saturday said, “on Monday our lawyers have informed the CID that the National Chairman of the NDC will march to the CID office.”
“We’ll be there by eight o’clock. So I want to I assure them that the peaceful chairman of a peaceful party will respond to their call even though we were invited through WhatsApp,” he added.
On the issue of the recording, flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama, urged his party supporters to disregard it.
Also speaking at the walk, Mr. Mahama said:
“our opponents are good at propaganda and they will come up from time to time with things to distract us. This issue of a [leaked] tape is just a distraction. Dismiss it with the contempt it deserves. Let us focus. Our message must be to the Ghanaian people.”
Ensuing backlash
After the recording emerged, the New Patriotic Party has called for the resignation of Mr. Ofosu Ampofo from the NDC.
The party said the NDC had lost its moral standing following his apparent utterances.
“The ramifications are enormous. It is a matter that we must take on their chest. It is a matter that the NDC must accept and go out there and restore their right to participate at the moral level in the politics of this country,” the NPP’s communications director Yaw Buaben Asamoa said.
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) condemned the comments urging the “NDC and all political parties to conduct their activities in accordance with the tenets of the 1992 Constitution and the law.”
“Unguarded utterances that have the potential to create fear and panic should be condemned in no uncertain terms by all and not be allowed to fester in Ghana’s democracy,” it stated in a statement.
Content of recording
In the recording which is yet to be authenticated, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo outlined plans to match up against groups from the NPP ahead of the 2020 elections.
His plans also included verbal attacks on the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa and the Peace Council Chairman, Professor Emmanuel Asante.
The NDC chairman said his approach to the election was going to be different and said there were plans for “covert and overt operations.”
“We will go after them. But we will not go after them face to face. We have to use tactical approaches to make life very uncomfortable for some of them. We will target some people, and we will let the people know that their life is in danger and once they know their life is in danger they themselves will be careful.”
–
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
