The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is alleging that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) wants to use Brigadier-General Micheal Opoku, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, to rig the election for the ruling party by stuffing ballot boxes in the Ashanti Region, on December 7.
The NDC said that it had evidence that Brigadier-General Opoku’s residence in Kumasi was currently being used as a safe haven for storage of weapons and electoral materials, which the NPP intended to use to subvert the will of voters.
“Per our credible Intel, Brigadier-General Opoku’s residence in Kumasi is currently the storage facility for weapons, illegally-printed ballot papers, military apparels and other election materials, which the NPP intends to use to execute this dastardly and subversive agenda, the NDC said, at a press conference that was addressed by Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the Communications Director of the NDC.
Mr Gyamfi said “In his current position, Brigadier-General Opoku has been mandated by President Akufo-Addo to take charge of a well-crafted scheme that has been designed by the New Patriotic Party to rig the upcoming election, particularly in the Ashanti Region, through ballot stuffing, swapping of ballot boxes, swapping of pink sheets, and other clandestine activities starting with the special voting exercise scheduled for December 2.”
According to the NDC, Brigadier-General Opoku supervised the lawlessness and violence unleashed on innocent Ghanaians at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency bye-election on January 31, 2019, thus, cannot be entertained in an election expected to be peaceful.
Mr Gyamfi said that the party was watching Brigadier-General Opoku and his collaborators in the NPP, and would continue to “monitor them with eagle eyes.”
The NDC said Brigadier-General Opoku and his ilk shall not succeed with their plan to foment trouble.
Mr Gyamfi urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), who is the Chairman of the Elections Security Task Force, not to allow any persons to usurp his authority.
He said Ghanaians still await justice for the eight innocent Ghanaians who were shot and killed during the 2020 Election, including those shot in broad daylight at Techiman South.
He called on the IGP and the Elections Security Task Force to get to the bottom of this election-rigging agenda.
The NDC Communications Director said the IGP, owes a duty to the people of Ghana to be firm and fair-minded to ensure peace during and after the elections.
Mr Gyamfi called on the Chief of Defence Staff to institute investigations into these issues and bring Brigadier-General Opoku to book.
“The NDC and by extension, the people of Ghana will hold the IGP, the Chief of Defence Staff and our security heads responsible for the loss of a single life in the 2024 general elections. Elections are about counting heads and not cutting heads. No person must lose his or her life on the altar of elections,” Mr Gyamfi said.
He said all well-meaning Ghanaians must be prepared to pay the price for peace to prevail in Ghana before, during and after the 2024 Election.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA