The Reckless Comment Of A Former President—The Case Of PNDC Revolution Days

Following the barbaric attacks on some innocent Ghanaians in the Ayawaso by-election, former president, John Dramani Mahama under whose regime we were told by one of his ministers that, "violence begets violence" decided to inflame the passion of his supporters by charging them to reflect on the revolution days of the NDC.

According to the former president, PNDC which metamorphosed into NDC with the deletion of" P" in the previous name has a history about unleashing violence on people and so no party in this country can beat this "fantastic" history. It is now clear that the PNDC revolution days we were told was to liberate our economic freedom was actually not the case but rather, " the case of unleashing violence on innocent Ghanaians".

The brutalities that were visited on some people during the Ayawaso by-election is disgraceful and ought to be condemned in no uncertain terms by every reasonable and responsible Ghanaian. The heightened growth of activities of vigilantism which has taken a centre stage in our politics is something that should be tackled with the needed consideration before this country is finally plunged into a difficult state of anarchy that would not be good for you and me at the end.

Former President Mahama's hypocritic stance as evidenced on the face of his reckless comment should not be applauded because it is irresponsible and unbefitting of a former president. Drawing inspirations from the P/NDC's revolutionary era and using same to let Ghanaians know how violent the NDC can be when it comes to subjecting people to all forms of cruelty that characterized the Ayawaso by-election is an admission that, the NDC is the most violent party in our current democratic dispensation.

Let's do a brief reflection on the happenings of the PNDC's revolution days in the 1970s and 1980 and see how dangerous the NDC is. The AFRC ie Armed Force Revolutionary Council headed by Jerry John Rawlings in our history books is described as the dark days in Ghana due to the squalid things that took place at that time. Innocent people were brutalised by over zealot revolutionists who became overlords.

These red-eyed men became enforcers of the curfew rules that were used to stifle political opponents. People lived in awe of these enforcers as they patrolled the streets in army jeeps with assault rifles at night. People were subjected to severe torture which led to lost of lives.

People were asked to squat whiles holding their ears and jumping at the same time like frogs. In broad day light people perceived to be corrupt were executed with the slightest chant of "led the blood flow" without trial. Constitutionally elected heads of state were overthrown through callous means and all that.

Former president Mahama only sought to use the said occasion to remind Ghanaians how his party maimed innocent souls. Superior court judges who were only reviewing decisions taken by the AFRC were picked up from their homes and murdered for exercising their constitutional mandate.

If today, we are been confronted with activities of vigilantism in our by-elections, we shouldn't be reminded of the dark days in Ghana's history under the PNDC but rather the causes of it emergence and how best we can tackle it. It is also instructive to note that, nobody in this country can beat the records of Former President John Dramani Mahama when it comes to "loosed talks". He could have offered us solutions to this disturbing monster eating into our politics. He rather chose to be an irresponsible shepherd.

Vigilantism started bcos any government in power tries to use the security to treat party in opposition unfairly during elections...In order to be well armed as protection in matters of election, they pick these macho men and train them to be used during the election.

If the Police Force regardless of the party in government exhibits some level of professionalism during the election, vigilantism would be a thing of the past.

Dawda Eric (Equity)

Citizen Vigilance for Justice