Wife of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Odododiodoo constituency Nii Lante Bannerman, Victoria Naana Gyetuah Bannerman has refuted claims by former Tourism and Information Minister, Zita Sabah Benson that she was involved in last Sunday’s violence.
Supporters of the NPP and the NDC were engaged in a bloody clash last Sunday that left supporters of both parties injured.
The clash occurred in the course of a health walk by the NDC in the constituency.
There was a misunderstanding between a group of young men at an area known as Blue Gate which resulted in the throwing of stones and bottles.
Mrs. Benson in an interview on Breakfast Daily claimed that the incident was sparked by the wife of Nii Lante Bannerman who wanted to exchange pleasantries with the Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Candidate for the opposition National Democratic Candidate (NDC), Nii Lante Vanderpuye.
Mrs. Benson further suggested that the wife of the NPP candidate is a sympathiser of the opposition NDC, thus her gesture.
“This was what happened. I could not record the incident because I had my phone inside my dress due to the rains. Nii Lante Vanderpuye went to hug Mrs. Bannerman because she is NDC, which is beautiful. Her husband is NPP, she is NDC. After that, all I saw was flying bottles. I was even hit by one, which I suspect was meant for Vanderpuye,” she said.
But Mrs. Bannerman in a statement denied the allegations adding that it is a deliberate attempt by Mrs. Benson to drag her name in the mud.
According to Mrs. Bannerman, she was nowhere near Odododiodoo and could not have been present at the said location as she was with her husband and some other NPP Constituency Executives at the Resurrection Power New Generation Church, Bortianor to worship with the President of the Republic on the said day.
“Zita lied! I am very convinced that Zita lacks credibility. I, therefore, wish to advise the general public to ignore the frivolous and fictitious narrative by the said Zita Benson. Kindly treat it with the contempt that it deserves,” she said.
“I want to put on record that I am a staunch NPP supporter and an ardent believer of the NPP ideology. I was born into an NPP family and cannot see myself turning coat to support another political party,” she stressed.
Two arrested over Odododiodoo clash
The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested two persons who were involved in the violence that occurred in the Odododiodoo constituency last Sunday.
The two according to the police were part of those who were seen pelting stones and bottles in videos that went viral on social media.
Addressing the press, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, DSP Effia Tenge indicated that the gentleman captured firing shots in the videos has been invited by the police through his lawyer.