Information Minister Hon. Asamoah Boateng has accused National Democratic Congress of trying to usurp the powers of state security and the position of the president. “I hope the NDC will understand they are not in government and their presidential candidate is not the president. They should understand their role as opposition and do their politics. If they equate themselves to the state security, they will always have problems.” Hon Asamoah Boateng was speaking on Joy Fm’s Super Morning Show to explain the cause of a scuffle between security details of the President and that of Atta Mills at the Fetu Afahye festival held in Cape Coast. According to him, Prof. Mills’ body guards attempted to mount the podium together with the party’s flag bearer to exchange pleasantries with the President, but were prevented by the state security. Prof. Mills’ body guards then attempted to reciprocate earlier treatment meted out to them, when it was time for president Kufuor to exchange pleasantries with the former vice president, and that Hon Asamoah Boateng claimed degenerated into the scuffle. When host of the programme Kojo Oppong Nkrumah asked what the standard procedure should have been, Hon Asamoah Boateng, suggested Atta Mills was the one expected to exchange the pleasantries, adding, “if the state security did not trust you they will not allow you close to the president.” Hon Boateng also accused the NDC of turning the festival ground into an NDC rally, with dozens of supporters clad in party colours, shouting and cheering, something the law frowned on. But a member of the Atta Mills campaign team Nii Lante Vanderpuye said the state security were rather unnerved by the huge support and welcome accorded the NDC flag bearer, which culminated into the harsh treatment. “I think what worried the presidential guards was the rousing welcome received by Atta Mills. He was treated like the president, and the guards felt embarrassed by that.” According to him the president had missed a great opportunity to send a clear signal to the supporters of all the parties that the election was not about conflict. ‘That was a wonderful occasion to all supporters and people in Gushiegu to see leaders of the two political parties shaking hands.” Nii Lantey said it was unfortunate Prof. Mills as vice president had his state security following him to the programme, but was not acknowledged as such by the president’s guards. He claimed Atta Mills’ guards were subjected to severe beatings which led to one of them falling into coma. Meanwhile Yaw Huse alias Angola who was allegedly assaulted by the president’s guards and was receiving treatment, says he can’t wait to be back guarding Prof. Mills. He says the Atta Mills needed protection, having been vice president and currently the flag bearer of the NDC, something he was doing and which the state security ought to have recognised. Speaking with Joy Fm’s George Wiafe, Angola claimed he was pushed, heckled and assaulted on the orders of the Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur. But the minister has vehemently denied the allegations, claiming he was rather pushed by the guards of Atta Mills, in what appeared to be a retaliation, after they (guards) were earlier prevented to follow their boss to exchange pleasantries with the president. Listen to Asamoah Boateng and Nii Lantey Vanderpuye Author: Nathan Gadugah