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National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate John Mahama has called on Ghanaians to exorcise the ghost of Ayawaso West Wuogon when they go to the polls on Monday.
Speaking at an event to sign a Peace Pact for the 2020 Presidential Elections on Friday, he said: “Let us fight to prevent the violence of the past, particularly as seen in early 2019 during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections, which until the date have gone unpunished. . “
The former president said: “Recent events under the current president have given many moments of doubt about the ability of this administration to conduct peaceful and nonviolent elections.”
There was chaos on January 31, 2019, several masked men allegedly from the National Security Council drove armored police vehicles to a polling station in La Bawaleshie.
They attacked and shot some supporters of Delali Brempong, the opposition NDC candidate.
Six people were seriously injured and several suffered minor injuries.
The NDC deputy for Ningo-Prampram deputy Sam George was captured in a video that circulated on social media being assaulted by one of the members of the alleged security force.
Subsequently, the opposition party withdrew from the elections as a result of the violence.
The Emile Commission was created by the government to investigate the chaos that characterized the by-elections and subsequently submitted its reports.
The government also presented a technical document in which it did not agree with some of the findings and recommendations of the Emile Short Commission.
Commenting on the aftermath, Mr. Mahama said: “The events of Ayawaso West Wuogon are fresh in our minds.
“The administration’s refusal to sanction those involved in assaulting an honorable Member of Parliament and injuring dozens of people remains one of the darkest days in our democratic history.”
The former president said that reckless comments by leading members of the ruling party that “the unfortunate events of Ayawaso West Wuogun were just a dress rehearsal for the actual elections, they do not inspire confidence for the holding of a peaceful election.”
Mahama said: “The loss of three lives in the course of a regular voter registration exercise is also a cause for concern. The military siege of the Volta region and elsewhere during the registration exercise created an intimidating atmosphere akin to a nation at war.
Despite this, the NDC presidential candidate said the party is “optimistic.”
He said that in the face of similar doubts in the past, Ghanaians have risen to the occasion and held peaceful elections.
“It is my prayer that, despite our deepest fears, we will be proven wrong and that Ghana will once again be shown to be the beacon of democracy in Africa,” he concluded.
