Mahama puts Ofosu Ampofo's comments on leaked tape in context

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama has explained what the party chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo meant when he allegedly called for an attack on the National Peace Council Chairman, Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Kwaku Asante. According to Mr Mahama, the NDC Chair was not advocating for a physical attack on Prof Asante but for him to be criticised. Last week, an audio recording with a voice alleged to be Mr Ampofo’s which called for an attack on Prof Asante as well as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Adukwei Mensa. However, Mr Mahama at a thanksgiving service today at the Perez Chapel international said the part was alarmed when Prof Asante did not condemn the violence that characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election. He said: “On our side, we said but as Chairman of the Peace Council, the first thing you must do is to condemn the violence first. Then after that, you look at what who said and what who didn’t say. “But without condemning the violence, the Presenter asked; he said so what of President Mahama what he said boot for boot, would you condemn it? The Peace Council Chairman said, I haven’t heard what he said and the Presenter says I can tell you on assurance, he said it and that there are witnesses, we can even bring the audio and play it to you. However, Mr Mahama at a thanksgiving service today at the Perez Chapel international said the part was alarmed when Prof Asante did not condemn the violence that characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election. He said: “On our side, we said but as Chairman of the Peace Council, the first thing you must do is to condemn the violence first. Then after that, you look at what who said and what who didn’t say. “But without condemning the violence, the Presenter asked; he said so what of President Mahama what he said boot for boot, would you condemn it? The Peace Council Chairman said, I haven’t heard what he said and the Presenter says I can tell you on assurance, he said it and that there are witnesses, we can even bring the audio and play it to you. “Then the Peace council chairman says, if he said it then I think it was wrong, then he pushes him again. So does he owe an apology to the nation? Then he says well, as an ex-president if he said that, then I believe that he owes the nation an apology without condemning the violence. That was our problem”. He said anyone who saw the violence first hand like Mr Ampofo would be traumatised but the party chair never called for a physical attack on Prof Asante. “And so, if a few days after he was talking and says we should attack the Peace Council Chairman, he didn’t mean we should go and beat the Peace Council Chairman, he meant that we should criticise him verbally…”. He reiterated calls by the NDC for the NPC to lead a mediation effort to disband all vigilante groups.

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