The Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) Emmanuel Akwetey, has called on the Police Service to invite and question the Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, over his claims that the ruling NPP will never hand over power to the opposition NDC.
Dr Akwetey believes questioning the MP over the comments will assure Ghanaians that the Police Service is consistent when it comes to inviting politicians who make reckless comments.
Mr Acheampong addressing party supporters at Mpraeso on Saturday said the ruling New Patriotic Party will never hand over power to the opposition NDC in 2025.
“NDC party will collapse. If the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men. We will show them that we have the men. We have the men![He screamed to emphasize]. It will never happen that we, the NPP, will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC. It will never happen! We will make sure NPP remains in government at all cost”.
But Dr Akwetey speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday said the comments by Mr Acheampong are incendiary and reckless and must be roundly condemned by all right-thinking people in society.
He added that it is important the claims are investigated to determine if there is more to his claims.
“I think that in the past when people have made statements that threaten our national unity or security, the Police deal with them. It happened to Kennedy Agyapong about the statement that Asante or Akans are being threatened, he was invited. Koku Anyidoho was also invited, we also heard of Mr [Ofosu] Ampofo, he is in court, so can the Police show a fair hand…could they invite him.”
“The rule of law requires that incendiary, subversive statements ought to be investigated,” Dr Akwetey added.
The statements by Mr Acheampong have been condemned by both the NDC and the Minority. The NDC has called on the Police to arrest and investigate the claims by the Minister for Food and Agriculture.
Statesman and a founding member of the NPP, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has also described the comments as dangerous which can lead Ghana into destruction beyond the extent the Akufo Addo government has already caused.
“Bryan Acheampong’s indiscipline and violent tendency have reached legendary levels, and it is about time the President and the NPP leadership called him to sanity. Failure to do that will further injure the party and lead it to a total collapse.
“Some of us in the NPP will not sit down unconcerned for such irresponsible behaviours alien to the NPP and inimical to national development to continue. Development is what our country greatly requires now, and as a cabinet minister that is what Bryan Acheampong should address on political platforms such as it was offered him last Saturday.”
He called Mr Acheampong to immediately, “withdraw and render an unqualified apology to the good people of Ghana for making destructive, unlawful, unguided, unnecessary and unintelligent political statement.”
But the NPP has defended the statement by Mr Acheampong. In a statement, the ruling party described the attack on the former Minister of State at the National Security as unwarranted and also an attempt by the NDC to seek attention from Ghanaians.
“The NPP considers the NDC’s attack on Bryan Acheampong not only unwarranted but also attention-seeking with an ill attempt to emotionally blackmail Ghanaians to court their support.
“From the foregoing, if anybody has to be arrested by the Police for treasonable comments, then certainly it is John Dramani Mahama for his continuous “Do or die for the NDC” in reference to the 2024 general elections, and Asidedu Nketiah for his brazen proclamation that members of the NDC are willing to sacrifice their lives to win the 2024 elections.”
