The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has seen a video in which the National Youth Organiser of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Salam Mustapha, is heard making reckless, rabble-rousing statements, and we do unreservedly condemn same.
“I said, the NPP will not sacrifice power on the altar of peace. We will not do it. We will not submit. We will not be cowed. We will not be intimidated. We will not be pushed,” Salam Mustapha declared during a rally in Takoradi on August 17, a day ahead of the ruling party’s manifesto launch in the Western Regional capital.
The ruling party’s youth organiser then provocatively flexed his muscles, further stating, “look at my muscles, they are natural muscles. In this hand, there are bones. If the NDC believe they are stronger than us, they should dare us in this election and they will see that men are available.”
In simple words, Mr Salam Mustapha is saying that given a choice between maintaining restraint even in the face of provocation and using violence, his party will not hesitate to choose the latter, if that is required to retain power.
This posture is unfortunate and unbecoming of a National Youth Organizer of the governing party. It is irresponsible and should attract the severest of condemnations from all well-meaning members of society, starting with the leadership of his own political party, the NPP.
If Mr Mustapha is aware of any plans by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or any other political party to unleash violence during the election, let him provide the evidence to the police for their intervention. Otherwise, it is safe to say that he is only daring to meet imaginary violence with real violence. His ranting, gambols and muscle-flexing are simply reprehensible.
This aggressive posture is all the more abominable because of the mayhem recorded during the 2020 elections which resulted in at least seven deaths. With that as a background, we had expected all players in the political field to show some sobriety and prioritise peace and mutual trust in order to ensure violence-free elections this time around.
Salam Mustapha’s irresponsible declaration was made in the name of the ruling party, making it imperative that the party distances itself from it and also sanction the irate National Youth Organizer.
That it has been four days since the declaration was made and the ruling party has not sanctioned Salam Mustapha is unfortunate and worrying.
The MFWA also notes with concern that the NPP has similarly failed to sanction its Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, who has twice declared in recent times that the party will never hand over power to the NDC.
It is one thing for party leaders to assure their followers that they are doing everything possible to secure electoral victory and another thing to vow not to hand over power to the opposition.
In a contest that is always characterised by tension and distrust, the least any politician can do is avoid statements that can stoke further tension or alarm.
It is a well-known fact that the handing over of political power is a matter of law. It is subsequent to the outcome of elections as announced by the Electoral Commission. A political party cannot therefore take or hand over power with its own whim. It is the electorate that decides.
The declaration that the NPP will not sacrifice power on the altar of peace and the bragging that “We will not hand over power” is therefore misplaced, dangerous and deplorable.
The MFWA reiterates once more its disappointment in the latest violent rhetoric and wishes to caution all political parties that their conduct and utterances can plunge Ghana into chaos if they are not measured. Specifically, in respect of the ruling NPP, we call on it to dissociate and distance itself from these violent and irresponsible statements and sanction the persons who perpetrate them in the party’s name.