NPP Man Stabbed
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
A
supporter of the opposition New Patriotic Party who had been stabbed
while en routr to an NPP rally protesting election results, is carried
by another man to get medical help, in Accra, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012.
Ghana’s opposition party said they plan to contest the results of the
election, ignoring the appeals of the international community, which
fears that a protracted political fight could destabilize one of the
only established democracies in the Africa. (AP Photo/Christian
Thompson)
Media reports including that of Joy FM had rather indicated that the victim was a supporter of the governing NDC.
However, DAILY GUIDE investigations showed that the victim, whose name was not immediately known, was an NPP member attending a rally organized by the opposition party at the Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Accra.
Accra-based Joy FM claimed “a man said to be wearing a National Democratic Congress T-Shirt was stabbed Tuesday, at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle by some persons said to be irate New Patriotic Party supporters.”
The story was said to have been confirmed by Greater Accra regional Police Commander, Commissioner of Police (COP) Patrick Timbilla.
This was when hordes of NPP supporters poured onto the streets of Accra to protest the Electoral Commission (EC’s) declaration of President John Dramani Mahama as winner of the just-ended Presidential election on Sunday.
The incident happened on the main Nkrumah Circle overhead bridge.
But eyewitnesses at the scene including a photographer with the American wire service, Associated Press (AP), Christian Thompson, indeed confirmed to DAILY GUIDE that it was rather a supporter of the of the main opposition party, the NPP, who was yet to be identified, that was stabbed allegedly by an NDC faithful.
Though he could not tell what might have prompted the action, he was certain that the one stabbed was an NPP supporter since he was clad in the red, white and blue traditional colours of the party with an NPP flag tied to his wrist, whilst his assailant fled the scene.
This was evident in a picture of the event posted on the website of AP on the link: www.apimages.com/ghana elections2012, which was captioned: “a supporter of the opposition New Patriotic Party who had been stabbed while en route to an NPP rally protesting election results, is carried by another man to get medical help, in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012.”
Though Christopher was said to have personally called into Joy FM to correct the anomaly the very day it posted the story on its website www.myjoyonline.com, because he witnessed the incident himself, his call seemed to have fallen on deaf ears since the story remained the same on the news site till date.
A member of the Young Patriots, Richard Kwasi Nyamah, told DAILY GUIDE yesterday, “This publication is an attempt to tarnish the image of the NPP and portray us as violent”, insisting, “The stabbing incident that took place was on an NPP supporter by an unidentified person who fled after the incident.”
According to him, the blood-stained t-shirt which was worn by the victim was even shown to the crowd and they subsequently informed the police about the incident.
He had since demanded a correction to the said story since according to him, “the NPP is a law abiding party that will not do anything to jeopardize the peace of Ghana.”
He noted, “Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has consistently advised the rank and file of the party to remain patient but resolute” and “has admonished us not to resort to violence and to trust the party leadership to use due process to address our concerns”.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu