NPP “Intolerant Militants” Out To Burn Ghana

Suspended Paul Afoko Vindicated Mac Manu, Kofi Jumah, Wontumi & Others

The November 7 presidential and parliamentary elections, is less than six months away, and already claims by ousted chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that an “intolerant militant wing”, have taken over the party, is manifesting itself daily.

So far, Peter Mac Manu; Nana Addo’s Campaign Manager, the Assin Central NPP Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong, ex-MP for Asokwa, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, NPP National Organizer, John Buadu, and Ashanti Regional NPP chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, have variously all vindicated Paul Afoko with their belligerent utterances, ahead of the elections.

Mr. Afoko, in the April 2016 edition of the Africa Watch Magazine, decried how within a short period of time, some militant-minded individuals, have taken over the NPP and are showing gross intolerance and repelling people within who express divergent views on how the party must be operated.
In the same publication, Mr. Afoko, had revealed how Ken Ofori-Atta; cousin of Nana Addo, had sneaked into the country some Serbian nationals to train NPP national executives and activists in the “act of civil disobedience”.

It was followed by the 3 South African mercenaries, who were brought into Ghana to train party activists selected from the 10 regions across the country, until they were busted by the state security apparatus in the abandoned El Capitano Hotel in the Central Region.

Mr. Afoko, had implored his party, “you can’t win power by being an intolerant militant, and repelling people. I am sounding a note of caution to my party that, we should stop this political craziness. We are sliding down fast and we should stop it and crawl our way back up and fight for power.
That is what I am telling my party”.

But the NPP through its Communications outfit, manned by Nana Akomea and Perry Okudzeto, had gagged its members from commenting on anything from the suspended chairman, and so their reaction towards that high profile interview, including serious details of corruption allegations, were made with names like Nana Addo mentioned, was a loud silence.

However, few weeks after Mr. Afoko’s revelations, the party has had it leaders issuing threats upon threats to people, as well as state institutions, especially the Ghana Police Service, the Electoral Commission (EC) and members of their main political opponents; the National Democratic Congress (NDC), creating fear and panic.

The NPP Campaign Manager, Mac Manu, over the weekend, told an NPP gathering in the Western Region that the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, would declare its own results in the November 7 polls, adding “…The IGP cannot stop us. Whether you are the Electoral Commission, whether you are a police or security officer, whether you are a polling agent, whether you are a chief, you cannot stop NPP from declaring results.”

Mac Manu’s comments, had attracted a wild condemnation from the general public, political parties, the National House of Chiefs, media and civil society organizations.

The NPP’s Ashanti Region chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, who consistently accuses and threatens everybody and also slapping the NPP MP for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah ,was also captured threatening to beat NDC members in the region.

The about 38-year old small-scale miner popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, had stated that he would lead attacks on all NDC polling station agents in the Ashanti region, if Social Media is blocked on Election Day as suggested by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

He had insisted that, the statement by John Kudalor that the Police Service was considering blocking social media on Election Day, was a ploy by the NDC administration to limit communication between NPP members on Election Day and rig the polls.

Wontumi, had claimed that the NDC administration, had acquired some gadgets to enable communication amongst their activists and agents by deliberately blocking social media to frustrate the NPP.

Without any credible evidence, he said, “What the IGP is saying is not just a consideration; it is something he together with President Mahama and Omane Boamah, have planned to do. They have brought into the country some mobile handsets like the walkie-talkie gadgets used by the Police.

“They started using the gadgets a day after I was arrested in the Ashanti region…most of the NDC party members have started using the gadgets.

“They are distributing this walkie-talkie machine to all the polling station agents of the NDC so that when they block social media and other radio stations, they will still have access to communicate with themselves”, Wontumi said in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM.

Less than two weeks after Chairman Wontumi’s comment, the self-acclaimed NPP financier and MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyepong, also said his party would lynch security officials on Election Day.

According to the foul-mouthed politician cum businessman, his party has recruited ex-military officers to assist the NPP in lynching security officials, who dared to stand in their way on the day of the election.

The Assin Central MP, made the comment on Oman FM’s Boiling Programme, same Madina-based radio owned by him on which he declared war on Ewes and Gas.

The legislator said, he used to trust the military, but he has in recent times lost confidence in them, because they (the military) have a special taskforce in which one Atatsi is recruiting NDC sympathizers for the 2016 elections.

“The security taskforce main agenda is to send 6 or more taskforces to NPP strong holds, hot spots on election day and that day, we are going to lynch them if they try it, we have also head that the security will be snatching ballot boxes and we want to tell them we [are] going to lynch them if they try it,” he stated.

He did not spare the IGP saying, “I’m surprise he’s saying he will block social media, is he a parliamentarian; he’s not above the law. If he wants to follow NDC and disgrace himself, then he should go and ask Afari Gyan.
Police Chief Inspector takes GH¢ 900 and what are you IGP doing about that for the police? He is an old man or he thinks someone is afraid of him, he should try it and see,”

Another NPP leading member on record to have issue threat is Maxwell Kofi Jumah. He has declared“operation let the blood flow”, as part of mechanisms to prevent rigging in the upcoming elections.

The former Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) boss, advised the NPP to forget about campaigning, printing of t-shirts and be vigilant by employing violent tactics to prevent the governing party from rigging the elections.

According to him, the NDC was currently plotting with the EC, to rig the 2016 elections, hence the reason why the NDC has claimed it would pull an audacious 1 million votes in the Ashanti Region, the stronghold of the NPP.

Kofi Ghana as he is popularly called, in an interview with the morning show host on Accra-based Rainbow Radio, Kwame Tutu said, it would be a waste of time for the NPP to embark on serious campaigns when the NDC and the EC are planning to hand over victory to President Mahama on a silver platter.

“The NPP will stand firm and match the NDC boot for boot and ensure that the victory for the NPP is achieved.”

“The NPP should not waste their time to organize any rally or campaign, as well as print t-shirts, because the NDC is planning together with the EC to rig the election and that is why they are claiming to pull 1 million votes in the Ashanti region and also have declared operation 50/50 in the Eastern Region.

We cannot allow the NDC to rig the elections this year, and that is why I am employing the NPP to purchase a burglar proof…We cannot entertain ballot snatching this election year.

We’ve witnessed how ballot boxes were changed at various police stations in the country after we’ve gone to sleep. The NPP should not let this happen again. If it happens, then operation let the blood flow.”

All efforts to get him retract fell on deaf ears as he said “no, this is not a statement meant to incite anyone. If someone wants to rig this election and am asking people to prevent it, by making blood flow, what is wrong with it?

“If a thief wants to rob you and you let blood flow to prevent that thief, why then should this statement be described as a strong and offensive statement? No, it is not.” Also, acting general secretary and national organizer of the NPP, has advised his party fateful to brace themselves for the coming elections.

Mr. John Boadu, told members of the party during a gathering during the just ended limited registration exercise that they need to work hard at the grassroots as the national and registration levels are working for total victory.

He charged the crowd to do their best and also empower those who have strength to move to the polling stations to ensure that they beat up anyone who dares snatch a ballot box”, Mr Boadu was caught on tape as saying.