NPP has not known peace since Akufo-Addo became leader - Sammy Gyamfi

National Communication Officer of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi is blaming President Akufo-Addo for some of the violent incidents recorded during the just-ended Parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to him, since President Akufo-Addo assumed the reins of leadership in the NPP after former President John Agyekum Kuffour, the party has never known peace.

“The NPP under this fourth republic was not this violent; when former President Kuffour was in power, we did not experience such magnitude of violence in our elections, both primaries and general elections because former President Kuffour is someone who is gentle and sober. But since President Akufo-Addo became the leader of the NPP with his all-die-be-die mantra and the various militant groups, there have never been peace in NPP”, he claimed.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) held its primaries on Saturday in constituencies it has sitting MPs across the country.

While the process was reported to be largely smooth there were pockets of violence that were recorded in Batama, Effiduase-Asokore, Wulensi, among others.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Sammy Gyamfi said that he was under the impression that President Akufo-Addo has turned over a new leaf when he apologised for his ‘all-die-be-die’ comment, but feared the situation is rather worsening with evidence from the recent NPP primaries.

“Our assessment of the NPP primaries is very bad because it was associated with violence. We have come far as a country in democratic dispensation and so if we are going to the polls internally to elect people in a particular political party and not between political parties and it becomes bloody and chaotic with security agencies involved in brutality as we witnessed in the just ended primaries of the ruling NPP, then it is embarrassment for the country.

“Under Akufo-Addo, the late Chairman Adams was bath with acid to death and they beat and sacked Kwabena Agyepong and Paul Afoko. These are the things they are still doing and it is escalating, getting worse by the day. When it happens like this, it brings disgrace to the entire country and the President who doubles as the leader of the NPP should do something about it and change his way of doing things and make sure that there will be peace in NPP as it is in other political parties. If there is peace in NPP, it will inure to the benefit of the entire country”, he mentioned.

He accused the ruling party of employing vigilante groups to provide protection during the primaries instead of using the services of state security.

“The NPP decided to disrespect the Police Service and pushed them aside for their militant groups to protect their primaries for various candidates and it became an open scuffle and some of the people were beaten mercilessly...others burnt tyres to vent their anger and this is disgraceful...we must condemn it and tell President Akufo-Addo that he has gone overboard in the superintending of violence under his watch, and must stop it”, he accused.