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NDC Axim Accuses Catherine Afeku Of Thuggery And Needless Attacks

Press Statement NDC Axim Accuses Catherine Afeku Of Thuggery And Needless Attacks
JUL 23, 2020 LISTEN

Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the media and to all of you gathered here. We welcome you, our friends in the media for your prompt response to our call to be here and let me hasten to add that we appreciate you for your commitment to the peace and development of our dear region.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, this region has had the enviable record of being very peaceful both in season and out of season. Hardly did you hear of clashes between the main political players, the NDC and the NPP. Over the years the two have co-existed peacefully, but it’s sad to say that this peaceful environment has recently come under serious threat.

The source of this threat is the misconduct of the Member of Parliament for the Evalue Ajomoro Gwira constituency Hon. Catherine Afeku and her rampaging associates. Over the period that the registration has been on, there have been some ugly incidents in the constituency perpetrated by the MP and her hoodlums, and the NDC has been at the receiving end.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, on 12th July 2020 the bodyguard of the MP, a serving police officer physically assaulted our constituency elections director at the Axim Community Centre on her instruction, when the gentleman was only doing his legitimate duty of ensuring that the right things were done at the Registration Centre. He had not broken any law of the land, and even if he had decent and lawful action would have been a report to the police officer at the centre. Instead, they preferred to take the law into their own hands.

Again on 16th July 2020 another member of the NDC was physically attacked and his phone taken from. This time it was no less a person than the NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate and soon to be declared MP for the Evalue Gwira constituency Mr. Kofi Arko Nokoe who was at the receiving end of a blinding slap from an aide of the MP and a member of the NPP. The perpetrator of this crime alleged that the PC was recording him. Ladies and gentlemen, it is interesting to note that the said allegation has been proven to be palpably false.

Our friends in the media, in all of these instances of blatant display of impunity and provocation of the NDC, we remained calm and law- abiding because of our peaceful nature. The cases were reported to the police, with the expectation that they would effectively deal with them and ensure that justice is served. Sadly, the conduct of the police rather than being reassuring has instead bruised our confidence in them.

The investigations have been botched and so as we speak, justice has not been served, neither is it being demonstrably served. As we have it, both the bodyguard and the Aide are walking free. It is obvious that they have been emboldened to wreak further assault on us.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, the constant refrain from the Police has been that we should have confidence in them. Ordinarily, this isn’t a bad call, but the fact of the matter is that confidence in them must be born out of a demonstrable determination to be fair and swift in dealing with infractions of the law that are brought to their attention. As we have it, they are yet to measure up to that standard and expectation and this has left us very disappointed.

The journey to the 7th December election has only just begun with the ongoing registration exercise and if current happenings in this constituency are anything to go by then we are in for a bumpy ride. Our message to the police is that we can no longer sit idly by as our people are abused for no reason without appropriate action from them.

The laws of this country allow for self-defense, and so we shall take steps to defend ourselves from hence. We shall respond appropriately to any future attacks on our people and the only way out is for the police to bring a firm and unbiased conclusion to the cases pending before them.

To the MP and her cohorts, we say power is sweet and sometimes intoxicating so enjoy it while it lasts because no condition is permanent. She the MP, more than anyone else in this constituency must understand this wise saying and to lead accordingly.

This is because she became the MP from 2009 and lost it in 2012. She is the MP now because she won again in 2016 and she is certainly going to lose again in 2020. She and her hoodlums must remember that the day of reckoning is fast approaching and if they don’t put a halt to these abuses they will live to regret their actions.

As a party we will always desire peace because we are peace-loving, however, let no one take us for granted. Let all who have ears listen and listen well.

Thank you very much for your attention.

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