Executives of the National Democratic Congress and sympathizers of the party are expected to accompany their National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo this morning to the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Their move is to support the Chairman who has been invited by the CID to answer questions about a leaked audio tape alleged to have his voice on it and making some dangerous comments that border on the country’s security.
Confirming the intention to Citi News, the NDC Greater Accra Regional Organizer, Anthony Nukpenu said that the group will be there to offer their National Chairman all the support he needs since they believe he has done no wrong.
“At 8am, our National Chairman will be accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters to the CID headquarters where they have invited him for whatever investigations they are looking for. We are alerting the general public that if they see a mass of people at the headquarters, it should not come as a surprise because we are going to solidarize with our party chairman and give him the full support that whatever is being alleged that he has done, we are in support of him.”
The tape, which has become a subject for media discussion over the past week appears to have the NDC chairman condoning political violence and calling for retribution against some personalities including the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo in the viral leaked audio is heard outlining plans to match up against groups from the governing New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2020 elections.
In the same tape, he is heard telling the audience believed to be executives of the party to attack the Chairperson of the Peace Council Chairman, Professor Emmanuel Asante.
Rev. Emmanuel Asante has, however, said he does not hold any grudges against beleaguered National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo for allegedly ordering NDC communicators to verbally attack him.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo was initially expected to be at the CID head office in Accra on February 28, 2019, but did not show up.
He, however, said his lawyers have sent word to the CID of his intent to appear and assist with investigations.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo while addressing party supporters at an NDC peace walk on Saturday said, “on Monday our lawyers have informed the CID that the National Chairman of the NDC will march to the CID office.”
“We’ll be there by eight o’clock. So I want to I assure them that the peaceful chairman of a peaceful party will respond to their call even though we were invited through WhatsApp,” he added.
Ensuing backlash
After the recording emerged, the New Patriotic Party has called for the resignation of Mr. Ofosu Ampofo from the NDC.
The party said the NDC had lost its moral standing following his apparent utterances.
Organizations such as the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) have also condemned the comments.
Ofosu Ampofo only called for criticism of Peace Council Chair in leaked tape – Mahama
In a seeming confirmation of the authenticity of parts of the leaked recording of the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, former President John Mahama has said the party’s chairman did not incite violence towards the Peace Council Chair, Rev. Prof Emmanuel Asante.
Mr. Mahama said Mr. Ofosu Ampofo instead called for NDC supporters to criticize Prof. Asante.
Speaking at the Perez Chapel in Accra on Sunday, Mr Mahama said the NDC was only unhappy that the Peace Council Chair, condemned comments made by him in the wake of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence “without condemning the violence. That was our problem.”
“If you condemned the violence and then you commented on what the former President said, that would be acceptable. So in the circumstances, for our chairman who had witnessed the violence… anybody who saw that will be traumatized. And so if a few days after he was talking and saying we should attack the Peace Council Chairman, he didn’t mean we should go and beat the Peace Council Chairman, he meant we should criticize him.”
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By: Sixtus Dong- Ullo | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
