Spokesperson for former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, has revealed that the flagbearer hopeful for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is focused on his ongoing campaign and will not be distracted by “dirty propaganda”.
According to her, the John Mahama Campaign team’s attention has been drawn to a “fake quote” attributed to the former President purportedly attacking Ashantis. She reckoned that this is yet another disinformation campaign to cause disaffection for Mr. John Mahama.
Contained in a statement dated April 14, 2023, Madam Motgari demanded a retraction and apology from UTV for the fake quote attributed to the flagbearer hopeful of the party.
“Mr. Mahama remains focused on his ‘Building the Ghana we want Together’ campaign and will not be distracted by such dirty propaganda.”
Joyce Bawa Mogtari
Madam Motgari emphasized that the alleged quote issued by the Accra based television station, UTV, was never uttered by the former President on any platform. She revealed that the said publication is equally false.
In recent times, there has been some tension between the two major political parties – NPP and NDC, in the country over incendiary comments made by some members of the parties. It all begun with the comment made by the minister for food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, on the conviction that the NPP will not hand over power to the opposition NDC.
NDC and NPP engage in legal battle over incendiary comments
Following this, the Legal Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to immediately arrest and prosecute the Agric minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Abetifi Bryan Acheampong. The NDC posits that the statement by Bryan Acheampong is an affront to the constitution and a threat to the security of Ghana.
Reacting to this, the New Patriotic Party in a rebuttal statement defended Bryan Acheampong and instead called for the arrest of Mr Mahama and NDC Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia by the Police for treasonable comments, especially with the former’s continuous “Do or die for the NDC” in reference to the 2024 general elections, and Asiedu Nketia for his brazen proclamation that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are willing to sacrifice their lives to win the 2024 elections.
That notwithstanding, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, slammed the Member of Parliament for Abetifi for claiming that the ruling party will hold on to power at all cost.
Meanwhile, Mr Mahama reacting to this, has indicated that his “do-or-die” comment was not meant to incite violence or cause harm to people at the 2024 general election. He stated that people within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who were unable to understand the comment had twisted it to suit their understanding.
The former President explained that the comment could not mean that NDC members were adequately preparing to resort to violence at the 2024 general election.
Mr Mahama, addressing constituency executive members and party delegates at Osino in the Fanteakwa South Constituency in the Eastern Region as part of his three-day campaign tour of the region last Wednesday, stated that the 2024 polls was not going to be a joke, that was why his outfit had made that comment “do or die” to rekindle the spirit of alertness.
Furthermore, Mr Mahama stated that because some NPP members could not understand the “do or die” comment and refuse to find the meaning from the dictionary, they twisted it to suit their understanding.
The former President emphasized that the “do-or die” meant that NDC members had to work very hard to win the election at all cost, but not to engage in violence.
