Arrest Mahama for inciting supporters to perpetrate violence – Collins Amankwah

Vice-Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Collins Owusu Amankwah is calling on the security agencies to arrest the Presidential Candidate of the NDC for allegedly inciting his party supporters to cause mayhem in the country after his defeat in the just-ended 2020 presidential and parliamentary election.

According to him, the public utterances by former president John Mahama is fueling a series of violent demonstrations across the country by NDC supporters.

“He [Mahama] should be arrested for instigating party foot soldiers to perpetrate violence through demonstrations across the country after he lost the election,” Collins Owusu-Amankwah told Adom News Parliamentary Correspondent, Abednego Asante Asiedu in an interview.

“If you are seen to be instigating party foot supporters to perpetrate violence by burning tyres and throwing stones, then he [Mahama] as a ringleader must be held responsible.

“So, he must be arrested to advise his supporters that enough is enough,” Owusu Amankwah emphasized.

Owusu Amankwah who doubles as the Chairman of Parliament’s Assurance Committee also called on the National Peace Council, faith-based organizations among others to call the former president to order and use the laid down procedures to seek redress.

“All because the elections did not go his favour so Ghana should burn or if people will die. He doesn’t care? The National Peace Council, faith-based organizations and the moral society should call the former President Mahama to order that enough is enough,” the legislature said.

“He is an apology to opposition leaders in Africa and for that matter even the whole world, why is he disturbing the peace of this country,” he quizzed.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was re-elected for a second term after December 7 presidential and legislative elections as announced by the Electoral Commission (EC).

Akufo-Addo of the governing New Patriotic Party won the election with 51.3% of the votes, beating former President John Dramani Mahama of the main opposition NDC party, who had 47.3%.

After the EC’s declaration, the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC, John Mahama rejected as “fraudulent” the results of the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections. Following his rejection of the presidential results, there has been a series of demonstrations by opposition party supporters over alleged stolen verdict.

The former president has subsequently stated that he will accept the results of the recent elections only after an independent forensic investigation has been undertaken to confirm the veracity of the results.

But Owusu Amankwah believes that the only appropriate forum to address such concerns of the former president is at the apex court of the land.

Already the Minority in Parliament spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga has demanded the dismissal of the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong Boanuh over reported electoral violence that claimed about 5 lives and alleged police brutalities on demonstrators.

But Owusu Amakwa described calls by the Minority in Parliament demanding the dismissal of the IGP over electoral killings as unfortunate.

He, however, urged his colleague legislatures in opposition NDC to call their supporters to order to sustain the country’s peace.