Upper West NDC Condemns NPP Youth Organizer’s ‘By Hook or By Crook’ Election 2024 Statement, Warns Against Unconstitutional Power Grabs

The Upper West Regional Communications Bureau of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has learnt with shocking dismay the reckless and unconstitutional statement attributed to one Salam Mustapha – the National Youth Organizer of the NPP to the effect that “by hook or by crook, the NPP will win the 2024 elections” which reckless statement was purported to have been made during a tour of the Upper West Region. By the issuance of this release, we the NDC wish to register our total revulsion to such irresponsible and reckless comments coming from the youth leader of a so-called patriotic party that prides itself as lovers of the principles of rule of law and constitutionalism.

We have followed with keen interest, the trail of reckless comments coming from the NPP and we wish to admonish and strongly caution the NPP, that the NDC as a social democratic party will not sit aloof and watch NPP apparatchik erode the gains that have been made by this dear country of ours through their recklessness, greed and shameless addiction to the sweet trappings of political power. Indeed there is a saying that the most difficult operation is the one conducted to separate a greedy politician from the seat of power.

By the 1992 Constitution, which is the supreme law governing Ghana’s democracy, the only way
a political party can hold legitimate power for a four year term is through winning an election with
50% + 1 of the valid votes cast, and that such a party will have to go back to the citizens of Ghana
every four years to be voted for again in order to be retained in power. Granted this position of the
1992 Constitution, we find the statement by Salam to be revulsive and offensive to the 1992
constitution. We wish to admonish the NPP apparatchik who are nursing any greedy desires to hang on to political power illegitimately at all cost to respect the 1992 Constitution and allow the sovereign will of the people of Ghana to reign and to follow the due procedure for winning and
retaining political power. Indeed, we also want to put on record and let all stakeholders bear us
witness, that in as much as we value the peace and security of this country, we will neither sit aloof nor countenance any such greedy, unconstitutional, Machiavellian and ill-motivated comments and any resultant actions therefrom from the NPP before, during and after the 2024 elections.

We also wish to bring to the attention of all stakeholders in Ghana’s peaceful elections, that we in the NDC have not also forgotten similar sentiments that were raised by another NPP apparatchik

 

one Brian Acheampong who also goofed by saying that “we will not hand over power to the
NDC”. All stakeholders may also recall similar comments made by President Akufo Addo that
“he will handover to an NPP government”. It is rather disheartening and very unfortunate that
President Akufo Addo and his NPP who are beneficiaries of peaceful transition of power from one
democratically elected government to another since 1992 till date, will begin romanticizing about
not handing over power to another democratically elected government especially of the NDC.
Since when and where in our Constitution was it the remit of a single political party to decide who
to hand over power to? Indeed and strictly speaking, these reckless statements seriously offend the
spirit and letter of the 1992 Constitution and ought to be condemned by well-meaning Ghanaians
in the strongest of terms and must be treated with the necessary contempt that they deserve. Indeed
the NPP should bow down their heads in shame!
Need we remind Mustapha and the NPP that, we are in a constitutional democracy which is
governed by the rule of law as stipulated by the 1992 Constitution and that such statements are
alien to our body politic and are only reminiscent of the medieval era where justice was the interest
of the strong and where the law of the jungle namely survival of the fittest was being used. Ghana
is a civilized modern day exemplary African democracy that was built by the sweat and toil of our
forebears and this democracy has stood the test of time for the last 32 years and counting and has
been admired globally as a shining example, so why will any individual or group of individuals
anywhere harbor such illicit greedy desires of holding on to political power against the sovereign
will of the people? To the NPP, is this how you NPP uphold the so-called rule of law and
constitutionalism? Indeed, we all know the defined route for a party to be retained in power, and
we also know that hanging on to power against the sovereign will of the people is not one of the
constitutionally accepted ways of retaining power, so where is the NPP getting such wild ideas
from?? We strongly advise the NPP to desist from such oppressive acts and promise that we in the
NDC will resist them vehemently at any such attempts. Let the NPP be told that, they are not the
only party clone with monopoly of violence. We also wish to send a strong warning to the NPP
that, either “by hook or by crook״ they will hand over power to the NDC.
Indeed, if the purpose of these statements is to intimidate the NDC, then the NPP better think twice
and the earlier they do so the better, because we in the NDC are not the least scared by such
reckless, infantile and irresponsible outbursts from the NPP. If anyone needs to be told, the NDC
albeit a peace-loving Democratic Party, we have our antecedents in a revolution that birthed the
fourth republic, so why will anyone threaten or even try to intimidate us? Your abysmal
performance in governance cannot help you retain power, and we advise you to respect the rule of
law and honorably accept the sovereign will of the people who have said enough is enough and
leave office when the tide turns against you. We have had enough of your bad governance,
corruption, nepotism, pillage of the national purse, and your killer instinct. Enough is enough!
We also want to emphatically state that, we will march the NPP boot – for – boot, pound – for –
pound with equally deliberate and measured responses should the NPP try any funny tactics before
during and after the 2024 elections. If we must remind you, this election will be won by the NDC
based on our previous record of good governance and as our flag bearer His Excellency John
Dramani Mahama intimated, this election will be won at the polling stations.

We are not going tog o to any court knowing very well how Akufo Addo has packed the Courts with party justices who will unanimously rule in favour of their appointor. We will not repeat the mistakes of 2020, we will march the NPP boot for boot, till – President Mahama is ultimately sworn in on the 7th January, 2025. To them that have ears, let them hear. What should concern Salam Mustapha is how to redeem the tattered image of his boss, Dr.Mahamud Bawumia who is seen by many as a pathological liar and also suffering from credibility crisis.

 

They should concentrate on redeeming their failed promises they made to Ghanaians which they could not honor. They should also focus on assisting Jack Toronto and his younger brother, the driver’s mate in fixing the economic indicators which are all pointing to the negative directionresulting in the collapse of many businesses. As a youth leader of his party, he should be concernedwith how to get his youth out of the excruciating hardship and abject poverty that they are going through now.

We in the NDC believe that the achievements of H.E John Dramani Mahama and the NDC are unparalleled, unmatched and peerless. It is trite knowledge that the massive developmental
achievements of JDM far outstripped that of the Nana Addo/Bawumia led NPP government,
ranging from education, health, roads,Agriculture, electricity/power, Economy, the fight against corruption etc.

We conclude by once again condemning the statements made by Salam Mustapha and also call on Ghanaians to vote massively for H.E John Dramani Mahama for better and sustainable jobs, forstable currency, for stable power/electricity, for a reliable health care system, for smooth and
reliable educational system, for the abolishment of the obnoxious licensure exams, for better
farming policies, for a conducive environment for Ghanaian workers to work without being
intimidated as we are currently witnessing, and above all, put Ghana as a respectable and proud
member back into the comity of nations.

Signed
Regional Communication Officer
Issah Kantaguere
0547072796/0208400426/0534054592