The New Patriotic Party in the Bongo Constituency is raising concerns over a video, in which a man believed to be a sympathizer of the National Democratic Congress, is allegedly inciting arson attack against its parliamentary candidate for the area, Diana Aburiya.
In a less one-minute video circulating on social media, the man with a ruffled hair is seen holding a banner of Diana Aburiya together with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP presidential candidate.
He is heard accusing the NPP parliamentary candidate of visiting the area only in electioneering periods and doling out monies to traditional and community leaders ostensibly to influence the election.
“I have never seen this woman here. It is just now that it is time for campaign that I’m seeing her here. It is now that the elections are just by the corner that you (Diana Aburiya) have started visiting here and dishing out monies to opinion leaders and chiefs”.
He then urges the public to set her ablaze whenever they see her, saying, “you see this one (pointing out the poster of Madam Aburiya and Bawumia), anyone who sees this one should light fire and burn her/it”.
He concludes by stating, “that is why we want to change to reset Ghana”.
The NPP has condemned the alleged instigation of attacks on its parliamentary candidate as treacherous and “a dangerous effort to undermine the democratic process in our country”.
The party the NDC and its parliamentary candidate for the area of being complicit in the purported incitement of violence against its parliamentary.
A press statement signed by the NPP Bongo Constituency Secretary Anaane Johnson Ayikene said the man in the video identified as one Zabra Godwin Aduko isn’t just a known member of the NDC but refers to Charles Bawwaduah, the NDC parliamentary candidate as his “brother”.
The NPP argued that the opposition party and its candidate’s failure to distance themselves from and condemn such inciteful comment is a tacit approval of same or an indication that the NDC leadership sanctioned it.
The governing party bemoaned what it said are persistent attempts to intimidate its candidate on the basis of her gender.
“Such barbaric attitudes have no place in our political discourse, and the sooner the NDC wakes up to this reality, the better it will be for the peace and tranquillity of Bongo”.
“The NPP would urge the leadership of the NDC to take immediate and decisive action against their marauding members who believe that violence is the key to their candidates’ success. It is essential for the NDC to demonstrate their commitment to peace by addressing these issues internally,” it said.
“Simultaneously, we call on the Ghana Police Service and all relevant security agencies to promptly investigate these threats and ensure the safety of our Parliamentary Candidate and her team”.
It also want the police to take action to curb the “continuous defacing and removal of posters of both our Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates”.
