NPP: The senseless killings must stop

Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Adams Mahama died on May 21, 2015 following an acid attack on him the previous night.

According to information, on May 14, 2015, Mr Paul Afoko, the National Chairman of the NPP, and the General Secretary of the party, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, arrived in Bolgatanga for a meeting.

Police say Mr Mahama organised some people to violently attack them, scuttling the planned meeting at the Azumsolon Guest House, for campaigning against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and also not notifying him, Mr Mahama.
The situation was later brought under control by the police.

According to police, an upset Gregory Afoko, brother of Mr Paul Afoko, confronted the late Mahama, but the former was chased out by thugs.

It said Gregory and one Asabke formed another youth group in their bid to protect persons perceived to be against Nana Akufo-Addo, the 2016 flagbearer of the NPP.
It said on May 20, 2015, the group laid ambush at Mr Mahama’s residence with a substance suspected to be acid, and when he returned home around 11:10pm in his pick-up vehicle and parked the vehicle in front of his house, the suspects went close and signalled him to roll down the window.

The late Mahama identified the suspects to be party members and rolled down the to talk to them, but the suspects suddenly poured the substance on his head, face and other parts of his body and fled on a motorbike.

The prosecution said the deceased started screaming for help, and his wife, Hajia Zenabu Adams, went to his aid and managed to bring him out of the vehicle.
It said Mahama repeatedly mentioned Gregory and Asabke as the ones who had attacked him.
Mahama died while being airlifted to Accra for treatment.
Gregory is standing trial for the act.

Last Friday afternoon, Abubakar Saddiq, an NPP member, was attacked in Asawase, resulting in his death.

He was butchered a few metres away from the NPP constituency office in Asawase in the Ashanti Region.

His death is being linked to the fallout from a protest organised by supporters of Paul Afoko, who has been suspended.

The death of Mr Mahama and Abubakar can be described as senseless.

Differences do not make party members enemies. The NPP can achieve much more if they worked together as a team instead of fighting one another.

Any rational person would agree that violence is not legitimate even if it is to eliminate a greater evil.

We live in a society which is the most aggressive, and we live under conditions of almost unparalleled freedom.

The NPP must work to eradicate a good part of the illegitimate violence that has plagued the party.