Ayawaso by-election violence: NPP just woke NDC up – Sofo Azorka

Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Sofo Azorka, has said the violence that rocked the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections last week has revived the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2020 general elections.

Reacting to the chaos in which six (6) people, believed to be supporters of the NDC were shot at the residence of the NDC candidate, Delali Kwesi Brempong, the former Northern Regional Chairman of the party said the indiscriminate shooting that led to them withdrawing from the polls has rekindled their spirit.

He told Mugabe Maase on Inside Politics on Radio XYZ 93.1, the party members should not be frightened by the violence for there are able men within the umbrella family to support and protect them from any form of oppression from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Although the party did not retaliate on the election day, Mr Azorka noted that was not a sign of weakness, but rather a call to be “vigilant and awake for the party.”

“Mugabe, if you are asleep and somebody comes to wake you up by tapping you, is that a crime?” he quizzed.

He is not happy with the casualties, but he promised to revive the spirit of vigilantism in the party to prevent any future attack, stressing that the NDC is capable of making the NPP sleep.

“These NPP people just woke us up. we won’t sleep again but they will sleep if the time comes,” he assured the party supporters.

“I am more experienced than the National Security Minister…I have followed by-elections and general elections for many years…and I can assure you that we are not going to joke this time around,” he added and cautioned the NPP to desist from election violence to prevent the NDC from retaliating in a more violent manner.

Last week, former president John Mahama warned the NDC could be more violent and rowdy than the NPP, following the shooting incident at Ayawaso West Wuogon.

“I want to sound a caution that NDC has a revolutionary root and when it comes to unleashing violence no one can beat us to that,” Mahama said.

A section of Ghanaians are calling for peace to prevail after last Thursday’s attacks by people suspected to be members of the NPP’s vigilante group, Invincible Forces.

The Christian Council, the National Peace Council and other civil society groups have condemned the election melee and have called for security agencies to investigate the matter and bring to book the gunmen who disrupted the elections.

IDEG Condemns Attack

A Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr Kwesi Jonah has charged the police to probe the Minister of State in charge of National Security, Mr Bryan Acheampong, for the violent attacks during the by-elections last week.

His comments come after the Abetifi MP said the gunmen involved in the shooting were National Security operatives.

A similar shooting incident at the residence of the opposition NDC’s candidate, Delali Kwesi Brempong, barely an hour after polls had been opened, left about 6 members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) injured.

Condemning the act, Dr Jonah stated the violence could easily escalate during the 2020 general elections if not tackled by security agencies, adding that if Bryan Acheampong was able to link the gunmen to the National Security, then the police has to invite him for questioning.

“If someone has been able to own up, the police must invite that person…the law is a respecter of no person,” Dr Jonah told Kwame Minkah, Host of Ete Sen on Radio XYZ Monday morning.

Asked if the police can find the masked men, Dr Jonah mentioned Mr Acheampong as the only person who can help the police to unveil the heavily built men.

“That person who said he knows them can show the real identity of the masked men,” he added.