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Member of Parliament for Odododiodio Constituency Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has justified the description of the 2024 elections as a do-or-die affair by former President John Dramani Mahama.
He said the use of the phrase by the former president does not mean “anything threatening our democracy”.
Speaking on The Keypoints on 3FM/TV3 on Saturday, April 15, the former Sports Minister said he had used the phrase many times in his career as a sports commentator and its subsequent use by his party’s 2020 Presidential Candidate does not mean violence as being interpreted in certain quarters.
“I think that John Mahama did not mean anything threatening our democracy, threatening elections.
“What he said is that this particular elections, I am urging our people to match the NPP boot-for-boot. What it means is that if they do 10 rallies, do 10 rallies. If they go to every village, go to every village.”
He reminded all that “when I used the word, this Kotoko-Accra Hearts of Oak match is a ‘do-and-die’ affair, I am not asking Hearts of Oak players to go to the field with clubs, with guns and hit at Kotoko players. We should understand that when words are used, phrases are used, the conclusive deductions are what is important to us”.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker was speaking in the wake of controversial comments made by Abetifi MP Bryan Acheampong last weekend about the ruling government not handing over to the opposition even if the latter wins.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture had told supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Kwahu Mpraeso that they have the men and will face the NDC if they approach the elections with violence.
Mr Vanderpuye said as a friend to Mr Acheampong, he felt “this is irresponsible”.
He, therefore, called on the former Minister of State in charge of National Security and his party, by extension, to accept responsibility and apologise to Ghanaians.
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