Ghanaians to hold 'two Johns' accountable for election-related violence - PPD

Ghanaians would hold the founder of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) party, Former President Jerry John Rawlings and the Presidential Candidate, Former President John Dramani Mahama accountable with regard to election-related violence, according to Patriots for Peace and Development (PPD).

According to a statement issued by PPD and signed by Richard Danso, the Convener of the group, the continuous support and the use of hooligans in their serials of demonstrations points to the fact that they are really preparing to cause mayhem during the election, should it not go their way.

“We are by this statement tasking the two respected leaders in the NDC to make sure that the country does not experience any kind of trouble. The monies that they are using to support and sponsor these fruitless demonstrations, can be saved to support their MPs within their respective constituencies, so they can make a meaningful impact in the 2020 general elections. They should have at the back of their minds that they lost with over 1million votes. It would only take hard work and determination on their part to make to reserve this,” the statement said.

“We humbly advise that they should suspend supporting these hooligans and rather get prepared for the 2020 general elections. We must respect institutions and that is what we must do. If demonstrations could change the stand of EC, it could have happened when Let My Vote Counts went on serials of demonstration in 2016 trying to change the stand of the Electoral Commission".

“We respectfully ask them to focus on their manifesto and how it would resonate with the masses. Unless they know that they are already defeated that is the only means they could use to destabilize the democracy that we have".

"We would hold them responsible should anything happen before during and after the 2020 general elections. You can’t be a founder of a monster, you need to call your party members to order, although it their civic right,” he said.

According to the statement, ”they should not hide behind those smaller parties and destabilize the country because they do not exist. The NDC should know that interfering with EC’s constitutional mandate is illegal. We are also calling on the security apparatus not to sleep on their duty but must know their civic responsibility to ensure peace and tranquility”.