Ahead of the December elections, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to reevaluate its stance on signing the 2024 peace treaty for the good of the country.
The NDC’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, reportedly said in an interview that the party will not sign a peace statement before the next general elections.
The NPP stated in a statement that it believes the “unfortunate” and “incendiary,” and condemns it in no uncertain terms.
The NPP raised worries about the NDC leadership’s alleged creation of a climate of mistrust and terror among its supporters, which appears to be an attempt to get them ready to reject the results of the 2024 elections.
The NPP emphasized in a statement that was signed by Justin Frimpong Kodua, the party’s General Secretary, the party’s commitment to upholding peace and stability in Ghana before to, during, and beyond the elections. The party reaffirmed that, from the start of the Fourth Republic, it has continuously shown its dedication to this goal, even in instances where it had legitimate reservations about the election procedure.
The NPP emphasized that, whether in administration or opposition, it has consistently signed the Peace Accord since 2008. The party pointed to its 2016 commitment to the Peace Accord in spite of its legal challenges to the 2012 election results and its misgivings about the impartiality of the Electoral Commission.
Below is the full statement
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of a publication on myjoyonline.com dated August 15, 2024, captioned “We won’t sign peace declaration ahead of elections, says Asiedu Nketia,” ostensibly attributed to the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the publication, Mr. Asiedu Nketia made the statement during his appearance on Joy News’ current affairs programme, PM Express, on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
The NPP takes a serious view of the statement and reacts as follows:
1. The NPP finds the comment by the NDC National Chairman very unfortunate and condemns it in no uncertain terms, given the worrying and incendiary nature of the statement.
We have noted with concern that the leadership of the NDC has gained notoriety for consistently beating the drums of war and preparing the minds of their supporters to reject the outcome of the 2024 general elections, foreseeing their inevitable loss.
3. The NPP wishes to make a passionate appeal to the NDC to reconsider their posture by reason of the national interest and desist from making statements likely to fuel tensions in the political atmosphere with far-reaching implications for the peace and security of our dear country.
4. We wish to reiterate our firm assurance to Ghanaians that the NPP remains solemnly committed, in words and in deeds, to maintaining the peace and stability of this country before, during, and after the 2024 elections, and will accept its outcome in good faith.
5. It is common knowledge that since the advent of the Fourth Republic, the NPP has been the political party that has consistently demonstrated unwavering commitment to maintaining the country’s peace, either before,
during, and after general elections and will never deviate from this commitment.
6. Since 2008, the NPP has always committed to signing the Peace Accord, either in government or opposition or during instances when the Party had genuine concerns about the sanctity of our electoral outcomes and processes. For instance, despite challenging the outcome of the 2012 general elections results in court and having doubts about the neutrality of the Electoral Commission, the NPP, guided by the overarching national
interest, still committed to the Peace Accord in 2016.
7. It is an established fact that whenever we have legitimate concerns, the NPP resorts to appropriate fora, including the courts, the Peace Council, IPAC, and other stakeholders to address our grievances and, where
necessary, call for electoral reforms to improve the country’s electoral systems and processes. We call on our rank and file to uphold our principled position despite provocations from the NDC, which has always touted its revolutionary roots.
8. While we reiterate our commitment to signing the 2024 Election Peace Declaration with alacrity, we call on the National Peace Council, Civil Society Organisations, Religious and Traditional Authorities and indeed, all well-meaning Ghanaians to join us in condemning the statement by the NDC National Chairman and to urge the party to use appropriate channels to resolve any grievances.
9. Ironically, despite the NDC’s stated stance, they continue to be represented at the Peace Council, IPAC and National Security meetings. Why are they unable to maintain a principled stance to the peace and stability of Ghana?
10. Finally, we want to remind the NDC that Ghanaians are peace-loving people, and by the grace of God, Ghana will not experience any war regardless of the outcome of the 2024 general elections. The will of the Ghanaians will always prevail.
