Forgery Lawyer Tricks Police

The disqualified parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Evans Djikunu Gadetoh, last Saturday, deceived the Akatsi Police by serving them with a notice of a health walk, but ended up staging a demonstration against the NDC.

The lawyer, who was in the company of mainly supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), also used the occasion to launch his campaign as an independent parliamentary candidate for the Akatsi South Constituency of the Volta Region.

At last Saturday’s event, while some of the supporters were captured on video footage, removing posters of Mr. Adjaho, others were holding placards with captions “NDC do not take us for granted, Vote for DJikunu, Progress and development”.

The Akatsi Police have confirmed to The Herald that the notice served them was for the purpose of health walk but not for a demonstration as happened last Saturday.

The District Police Commander, DSP D. Fiakpui indicated that he was yet to receive a report from his men, who supervised the event, to ascertain what had happened, explaining that he was away before the incident.

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho who is the NDC parliamentary candidate for the constituency, in a separate interview with The Herald, said he had heard about the incident but was not ready to speak.

Mr. Adjaho hoped the police would apply the law when it is confirmed that indeed, demonstrators had destroyed his posters.

The Herald gathered that Lawyer Dzikunu, last week served a notice on the Akatsi District Police, informing them of his intention to embark on a health walk in the Constituency, and was granted a team of police men to protect him and his group.

Shockingly, Mr. Dzikunu, who is facing criminal charges over forgery signatures of some constituents and his supporters, turned the supposed health walk into demonstration and a campaign launch where abusive languages were spewed and placards, attacking the MP, Mr. Adjaho, were also displayed.

Last week, Mr. Dzikunu sponsored a publication in the “New Crusading Guide”, chastising President John Mahama for introducing Mr. Adjaho to the Akatsi South Constituency as the NDC candidate during his recent tour of the Volta Region.

A huge banner announcing the health walk also has the writing that reads “Youth for Lawyer Djikunu Gadeto, the man to bring to Akatsi South – Solidarity Health Walk For Election 2012” with Mr. Dzikunu’s boldly picture printed on it.

After chanting war songs at a mini rally on Akatsi Roman Catholic Park, Lawyer Dzikunu said in Ewe, “if they want to threaten you with the police or court action don’t worry, I promise, just called on me, I would come to defend”…”I say I myself will defend you”, he reiterated.

Mr. Djikunu who has been thrown out of court many times in his bid to dislodge Mr. Adjaho from the NDC Parliamentary slot, went further, “our opponents claim our court case has ended, but I want to tell you that we will appear before court on Tuesday and people who keep deceiving you would board a car to attend also”.

“Ask them when they are back that what they went to do there at the Court of Appeal?”… “But even if the court does not rule in our favour, I Djikunu Gadeto, am assuring you that this year I will at all cost contest”, he stressed. He said “this year is going to witness a revolution” adding “one does not go all the times”.

Meanwhile, The Herald’s checks at the Akatsi office of the Electoral Commission (EC) revealed that Mr. Djikunu has already picked forms to contest the Akatsi South seat as an independent parliamentary candidate.

Mr. Djikunu’s campaign coordinator and a fiercest castigator of the MP, Mr. Francis Tengey stated “we need to remove Adjaho so that the suffering Avenor people can gain some relief,” adding “just after leaving here, we will begin a massive campaign for Evans Djikunu Gadetoh”.

Some well-known New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists were also spotted at the demonstration pretending to be supporters of Mr. Gadetoh. They include Doe Wemegah, Gligui William, Dogah Susu Francis, Kwameha Avihe, Richard Agorkpa, Ativor Selorm, Dotsi Wusa among others.

They marched through the newly-asphalted streets of Akatsi and later gather at the Akatsi Roman Catholic Park.