The Majority Leader of the soon-to-end 8th Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has expressed deep concern over the seeming acts of lawlessness being displayed by supporters of the incoming ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the Effutu Member of Parliament, who has retained his seat, it was “very regrettable” that the NDC would create a chaotic atmosphere in the country, to the height of fatalities after winning political power.
Addressing a news conference in Accra on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Afenyo-Markin gave instances where the NDC had acted unlawfully in the bid to claim seats they had not won.
He said they seek to destroy pink sheets, which they know are the evidence the NPP would use against them.
“First of all, it is very regrettable that the NDC, after winning power, will resort to creating an atmosphere of lawlessness, threatening parliamentary candidates, threatening party officials and threatening anybody they see as a threat, so-called,” he lamented.
INSTANCES
Referring to chaos in some parts of the country, targeted at members of the New Patriotic Party, Afenyo-Markin mentioned that the parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Akua Afriyie was under siege, adding that “all manner of persons were at her residence in search of pink sheets.”
He said it took the timely intervention of the police to protect her and drive “these NDC hooligans away” as she ran for her life.
“The question is, why is the NDC so interested in destroying evidence? Why are they interested in capturing pink sheets to destroy them and set them ablaze?” he asked.
He mentioned that in Okaikoi Central, the incumbent MP, Patrick Boamah, is unable to sleep because the NDC is threatening him, thinking that he has pink sheets at his residence.
In Tema Central, he said the person who purportedly declared the Tema Central seat for the NDC candidate was not the retaining officer for the constituency.
“They called somebody to declare the result. When the rightful person who has taken an oath, who has deposed to an oath, sworn an oath, to be the retaining officer for the election, was not the one,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
He also mentioned that Akwatia constituency is a similar spot, where, according to him, the NDC knew they had lost the seat but caused commotion for the seat to be in their favour.
In Nsawam-Adoagyiri, he said that the incumbent, who is the majority chief whip, Frank AnnohDompreh, “is also under siege.”
MODUS OPERANDI
Explaining the strategy the NDC was using, Afenyo-Markin said where the opponent had lost, they prevented the collation from happening and attacked people, including the PC, “all because they believe that these individuals have pink sheets.”
According to him, these hooligans are operating with the blessings of the NDC party hierarchy.
“They buy them fuel, they get pickups and they move them to locations. These individuals are moved in groups. Such attacks are planned and led by some MPs who have been promised juicy positions in government. We are aware. They cannot pretend that they don’t know about this,” he claimed.
He wondered what the NDC would have done if they lost the 2024 general elections, considering their display of unlawful bravado even in victory.
CALL
“Why should a member of parliament fear for his life? All because he is participating in democracy. I would want to call on His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to stop his people, to speak to his party people.
“This is not democracy. This is not the democracy we’ve all worked hard for. The hypocrisy is becoming too clear day in, day out.”
He also called on civil society to call on the NDC leadership, especially the President-elect John Dramani Mahama, to demonstrate his love for this country by stopping these acts of lawlessness.
