Former President John Dramani Mahama has stated that he’s not ready to apologize for his ‘boot-for-boot’ comment after he unleashed mayhem on the governing New Patriotic Party in the 2020 elections after the attacks on members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
While addressing NDC delegates in the Adaklu Constituency of the Volta Region on Thursday, 31 January 2019, the former President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama sent a word of caution to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that they would not remain silent if they decide to be violent in the coming 2020 elections.
“We are not going to joke in 2020 and I’m sounding a warning to the NPP – we are going to match them boot for boot,” he said.
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But following criticism and call for an apology by a section of Ghanaians and Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, Mahama has stated that the NPP should rather apologize and not him.
“It is rather me they are accusing… they say I should come and apologise, the one who has been shot. I should come and apologise? Meanwhile, you won’t condemn the one who shot. We will not tolerate this in Ghana” he insisted.
But Mr. Mahama said “anytime NDC is in power, they [critics] are always very vocal. When something happens, [they say] ‘this is wrong’, and they are condemning.”
“But as soon as their preferred [NPP] government comes into power, everything is right: ‘family and friends [government]’ is okay as long as they are qualified. You think NPP will be in power forever,” he added.
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At the same event, the former president warned that “the people” will resist if the government deploys heavy security in future elections just as it did in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
“We are serving them notice. They shall never deploy such a force in any election in Ghana again. We will resist it. You haven’t seen armed men running away before? When the power of the people comes after you, you will run. This is the ‘all die be die’ philosophy at work. We won’t accept ‘all die be die’ in this country.”
“They are not supposed to have hoodlums dressed in police uniforms using police vehicles and firing bullets at our innocent civilians.”
