NDC, The party Of Violence

NDC MP slaps NDC MP was the title of a news article reported on Ghanaweb by the Statesman news medium on 27th July 27, 2007. The news was about one Mr. Ibrahim Abdul-Rauf Tanko, an NDC member of parliament who flexed his muscles by slapping one of his colleagues Mr. Sampson Ahi, also an NDC Member of Parliament right at the premises of the parliament house. I felt disgusted when I read the report, but I wasn’t surprised at all. This despicable act by Mr. Tanko underscores the old biblical text; “by their fruits ye shall know them.” The history of the NDC party says it all. It is not by accident or mere coincidence that most political analysts label the NDC as a violent party.

The party cannot escape its violent past from the AFRC-Armed Forces Revolutionary Council- and the PNDC-Peoples’ National Defense Council- era where disregard for human life, liberty and property became the order of the day. It is an indisputable fact that the NDC party was formed and nurtured around the charisma of one person – JJ Rawlings (former president) who pioneered the most ruthless political violence in Ghana’s history. In fact, JJ will go down in history as the only president who physically abused his own vice, the late Mr. Nkesen Arkaah not to mention the numerous allegations of him (JJ) slapping his ministers besides verbal insults. Unfortunately, this tradition of violence and disrespect is deeply rooted in the party’s ideologies. Most NDC party members idolize JJ to such an extent that they will not mince words to emulate his behavior including that of his fiery speeches.

So, should that surprise you if an NDC MP slaps his colleague? The answer is no, because it only goes to demonstrate that wherever two or three NDC members meet in JJ’s name violence will take a centre stage. The NDC party lacks internal democratic foundation; therefore, it is completely devoid of political maturity. It is for this reason that cultured people who are law-abiding and respect the rights of others will always find the NDC very odd and weird. NDC will forever be synonymous with violence until they change their ways of doing business.

Jonathan Amoo
Yonkers, NY

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