Increasing political intolerance disgrace - President Mahama
President John Mahama has condemned the increasing act of validation and attack on political opponent in Kyebi and surrounding areas.
Advertisement
Addressing a rally at Kyebi, President Mahama said the reported incident of destruction of political party posters and preventing of people from holding political rallies were undemocratic and against the freedom of the people.
He said the increasing political intolerance was a disgrace to Kyebi because Kyebi was the heart of Ghana’s democracy.
For instance, he said Dr J. B. Danquah, Ofori Atta and Nana Addo-Dankwa’s father, who was the President of Ghana, were all citizens of Akyem Abuakwa, therefore he said “it is a disgrace to Kyebi if the people continue this way”.
President Mahama said all political leaders had the right to go across the country to hold rallies and sell their messages to the people.
For instance, he said, “the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akure Addo had been to Bole, my (President Mahama's) hometown on three occasion to hold a rally but nothing happened” therefore he said it was wrong for any group of people to put a hindrance in the way of other political party members.
President Mahama earlier called on the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia ofori Panin to seek his blessing and support for the election.
The rally, which was held at the forecourt of the Okyehene's palace, was attended by enthusiastic NDC supporters and sympathisers.
The president indicated that the next NDC government would put up a university and a regional office in the area.
He also promised to improve the road network and offer support for the construction of a university bein set up by the okyenhene.
He introduced the NDC parliamentary candidate for the Abuakwa South Constituency, Mr Sanusi Mohammed, and urged the people to vote for him as their President and the various NDC parliamentary candidates.
The Okyehene urged political leaders to impress upon their followers to refrain from any act of violence during and after the election.
He noted that although the political leaders debated one another on issues, they ended up chatting in a friendly manner with one another after the debate, however, he said the followers of the political leaders rather engage in verbal and physical attack against one another.
Therefore, he said, it was crucial for President Mahama, Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr Nduom and the other presidential candidates to continuously talk to their members about the need to refrain from fighting their perceived political opponents.
Story by Musah Yahaya Jafaru