A former Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonso, who is also a flagbearer hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for a thorough investigations into the electoral violence that occurred last weekend in Cape Coast during the last Women and Youth congress of the party.
The congress was elected National Youth Organizer and National Women Organizers with their deputies, but in the process there were reports of fights and attacks among delegates over various reasons.
In a statement released on Monday, Kojo Bonsu described the incident as “disappointing” and condemnable. He urged the party to learn from its past and stay focused on victory in the next election scheduled for December 2024.
Below is the full statement:
Kojo Bonsu calls for probe into the NDC electoral violence
It is with the most somber mood that I wish to communicate my utmost disgust in the violence that we all witnessed emanating from different venues of our national executive elections. This boot for boot type of politics has been condemned by Ghanaians in the past and we must continue to do so.
As I watched the sad developments I was overwhelmed by the certain disappointment that our great Founder and past patriots would feel to watch some bad nuts bring our party identity into disrepute. What an insult to the philosophy of social democracy that we have upheld since the beginning of our fourth republic! Our party is in need of dynamic and committed leadership with integrity that will set a good example for our youth to emulate.
Currently the NDC seems to be in a snooze mode. Alarm bells are ringing all around us and we continue to slumber at the ultimate peril of our party’s chance to provide sound leadership again in this land. We must learn from our last challenge at the courts that the election is won at the polling station which calls for greater vigilance and proper organisation to deliver victory.
The perpetrators of these abominable acts were obviously acting in the interest of one individual or another and not any representation of our party. It is disappointing that we have adults in 2022 who will risk their lives to unleash violence on others in service of someone they allegedly look up to. Such individuals by their exhibited character are not fit for public service and I wish to distance myself from anyone who condones such short sighted behavior that brings us all shame.
I together with all law abiding Ghanaians expect that a proper probe will unearth and expose the culprits and those who may have inspired them to act so criminally and distastefully to bring shame to our party.
I call on All newly elected executives to work diligently to squash All disagreement within our ranks and to realise that the stakes are too high to encourage disunity amongst us. Ghana now more than ever needs a level headed administration to take over the leadership and governance of this land and we must seize the opportunity to demonstrate in truth the qualities and values that engender trust from our fellow Ghanaians.