Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has publicly apologized to Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), for sharing a doctored video of him.
In the video, Asiedu Nketiah appeared to be urging his supporters to lay down their lives for the NDC in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
Aboagye tweeted his apology, stating that he had wrongly shared the video and that he had since removed it. He explained that he had been made aware of an original video that clearly showed that the one he had shared was doctored.
Aboagye acknowledged that the tampered video was not right and that he withdrew it with apologies.
The original video showed Asiedu Nketiah calling on his supporters to “sacrifice everything, including our lives” for the NDC’s campaign. The doctored video had misrepresented his statement, making it seem like he was urging his supporters to lay down their lives.
Aboagye had shared the doctored video in response to comments made by Bryan Acheampong, the Member of Parliament for Abetifi, who had stated that he and the NPP would never hand over political power to the NDC.
A number of members of the NPP had defended Acheampong’s comments, stating that they were only responding to equally violent comments from the NDC.
In response to Acheampong’s comments, several NDC members had also stated that they were ready to match any violence the NPP intended to bring in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections.
The incident highlights the growing political tensions in Ghana as the country prepares for the next general elections. It also highlights the danger of doctored videos and the need for responsible behavior on social media.
Asiedu Nketiah thanked Aboagye for his apology and urged all politicians to refrain from making violent or incendiary comments. He stated that such comments only served to inflame tensions and undermine the country’s democracy.
Read Dennis Miracles Aboagye’s tweet below:
I sincerely apologise and have subsequently removed the Asiedu Nketia Video I shared earlier. My attention has been drawn to an original video which clearly shows the earlier one I viewed and shared was doctored. Obviously, this version I saw and shared had been tempered with,…
— Dennis Edward Aboagye (@DennisMiracles) April 11, 2023
Source: NPP NDC