You’ll die a useless death if you allow politicians to use you for violence in the upcoming elections – Analyst

A political analyst, Justice Siaw Mandela, has advised Ghanaian voters to avoid violence in the upcoming elections.

He asked the public to avoid politicians who would invite them to engage in violent activities, warning that this could lead to serious implications for those involved.

He noted that some people have been maimed and ignored by the politicians they engaged in violent activities for.

He has, therefore, encouraged Ghanaians to try as much as possible to avoid politicians whose interest is in using violence in the upcoming elections for selfish gains.

"I want to advise Ghanaians not to kill themselves because somebody wants political power. The young men and women should know that these politicians use them for their selfish gains. Among those who were recruited as vigilantes, some may have been maimed, and so we have to use these examples to advise ourselves. Using violence cannot win you an election."

He further advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections acceptable to all political parties and other stakeholders contesting the race.

"We should remind ourselves that the elections can be peaceful and uneventful. Why should we witness violence in an exercise where you will go and take a ballot and vote for your preferred candidate?

"The elections should not be a do-or-die affair. It should be the most peaceful thing so that those who ring the war bells must be exposed as those who will have individual benefits and not those who engage in violence. If you engaged in any form of violence and died, you would have died a useless death."

Mandela urged the Police Service to deal ruthlessly with anyone who would cause a false alarm during the upcoming elections.