BABA JAMAL CALLS FOR PEACE IN AKWATIA (PAGE 16)

THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Akwatia Constituency, Baba Jamal, has stated that the rerun of election at the six polling centres in Akwatia should under no circumstances be allowed to derail the prevailing peace and unity in the town.
He, therefore, appealed to voters in the area not to perceive the upcoming election as a “do-or-die” affair by engaging in unnecessary violent acts that could cause tension and bloodbath during the polls.
“We should not be interested to see any blood spilt because of my or anybody’s political ambitions to win the Akwatia Constituency. Our focus should rather be on how we can remain peaceful and tolerant towards one another,” he stated.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Koforidua on Sunday, Mr Jamal said “we must not use election to engage in needless bickering, insults, tribal politics and preach hatred to the people”.
His appeal for peace and tolerance followed allegations being made against him by some of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) executive members in the Akwatia Constituency that he recently went to one of the mosques at Akwatia and declared a Jihad on the upcoming election.
Mr Jamal, who is currently the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, said although the rerun of the election in six out of the 89 polling centres could determine who would emerge the winner of the polls, the people must not allow themselves to be swayed by politicians who had considered it as a “do-or-die” affair.
“Since the prevailing peaceful co-existence and unity in the Akwatia are more important than any parochial political interest, be it me or any other politician, we must resolve to remain committed to tolerating one another’s political views and shun violence outright,” he emphasised.
Buttressing his point, he stated that since the Electoral Commission (EC) declared August 18, this year as the date for the rerun of the election, he had personally been preaching peace and tolerance at all social gatherings, on funeral grounds, at mosques and churches.
Mr Jamal, therefore, wondered why Akwatia Constituency NPP executive had been making several unfounded allegations against him, “portraying me as the one who is masterminding the entire violent acts in Akwatia”.
“The very people who are inciting the masses to engage in violence and other criminal acts are the same fellows who always turn round and point accusing fingers at me, painting me negative in the minds of the people,” he stated.
Citing one violent incident to justify his point, Mr Jamal asked, “Do you know the group of people who assaulted the Adom FM and Metro TV reporters whose camera was also destroyed last Friday?”.
“It was not members of the NDC but those from the NPP who perpetrated the act right in front of their party office at Akwatia. These are the very people who claim it is NDC supporters who are violent,” he stressed.
On his prospect of winning the election, Mr Jamal said he stood a better chance of emerging the winner, since five out of the six polling stations were located in the Zongo communities.