By Frank Amponsah
President Akufo-Addo, while condemning the recent clash that ensued between some members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has appealed to Ghanaians not to make violence an option in an electoral process meant to afford electorates an opportunity to make a choice.
He said perpetrators of violence anywhere in the country have no message to present to the people of Ghana to secure their vote, ahead of the 7th December 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The President made the appeal when he addressed the Chiefs, Queen Mothers and constituents of the Odododiodio Constituency at a durbar held in his honour as part of day three of his four day tour of the Greater Accra Region. “Most importantly, we want peace in Accra. The elections ahead of us is an opportunity for the people to make a choice and not to fight. Anyone who decides to uses violence and intimidation, simply has no message for the people of Ghana. Anyone who decide
President Akufo-Addo made the comments at a mini-rally at Odododiodoo as part of his tour of the Greater Accra Region.
The President stated that “We want peace in Accra in the upcoming elections. We should allow everyone to go and vote in peace. It is not about fighting. If you (politician) have to use violence to win, then you don’t have anything for the constituents. So everyone who does that should be ignored and condemned. Elections are just a contest of ideas, and we don’t need violence to be able to do that.”
President Akufo-Addo further asked residents to eschew all forms of violence and vote peacefully in December.
“So please I beg of you, we don’t need violence in our country. We want peace. The world is watching Ghana in our upcoming polls, and we should show them that respect ourselves and understand democracy well.”
Background
Supporters of the New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress on Sunday, October 25, 2020, clashed at Jamestown in the Odododiodoo constituency.
15 persons were wounded following the attack in one of the Greater Accra Region’s known hotspots.
The incident occurred while some NDC members were embarking on a campaign walk on Sunday morning.
The supporters pelted each other with stones, bottles and other projectiles.
The fighting was concentrated on the Atta Mills Highway at a junction called One Way.
