Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has firmly denied allegations of disrespecting President-elect John Dramani Mahama.
The remarks were made in response to a Facebook post by political communications strategist Stan Dogbe, who warned Afenyo-Markin to avoid making disrespectful statements about Mahama and to exercise caution in his comments.
Speaking to Fred Duhoe of Channel One TV during results collation at the Ghana Police Training School in Tesano on December 12, Afenyo-Markin dismissed the accusations as baseless and challenged Dogbe to provide evidence to substantiate his claims.
“For him to say that I am disrespecting the President-elect. Ask him what exactly have I said apart from calling on the President-elect to call his men to order. I have just seen a post by Mr Stan Dogbe, he is an aide to H.E President Mahama saying that Afenyo-Markin boy better advises himself and stop the disrespect towards H.E John Mahama. Again they have started with their threat.
“I want to urge Mr Stan Dogbe that if he has come into government to threaten people, then I am not one of those to be threatened. I have not sat anywhere, stood anywhere or said anything to disrespect President Mahama.
“I am only calling on H.E President Mahama and the leadership of the NDC to call their supporters to order to stop the violence. We need due process in concluding all the outstanding matters in this election. We need to have a peaceful collation and if by saying so, he cannot be tolerant enough and he thinks that as a leader of my party, I don’t have the right to call on the leadership of his party, and for that matter the incoming government to call on all those rampaging youth to order, then I am afraid.”
He advised Stan Dogbe to be tolerant, emphasising the need for democratic dispensation to rein.
“I will tell my friend to be tolerant, what we are doing is about democracy, ensuring that due processes are followed and the right things are done. I have not stood anywhere to disrespect the President-elect and I will not do that. The President-elect himself knows that I will not benefit from insulting him or anybody. But what is happening is unfortunate and unacceptable, very regrettable. And only I am saying we need to follow due process.
“We don’t need to attack each other with machetes. Going to polling stations to attack parliamentary candidates with machetes and guns and threatening EC officials is unacceptable. And that is the point I am making in my capacity as a leader of my party in Parliament. And that point I will reiterate it does not mean disrespecting his party leader.
“I expect my friend to do the right thing. We are here at the Collation Center, we are done with two and we have another two to do, we also have Ahafo Ano, Ahafo Ano South-East, Ablekuma North, Tema Central and Obuasi East all these constituencies have been programmed for collation in the coming days.
“All that we are saying as NPP is that we should follow due process. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia [NPP flagbearer] lost the elections, he did not wait for the official announcement by the EC, he conceded defeat, and called Mahama to congratulate him. Subsequently, President Akufo -Addo has also called to congratulate him. The transition process has been triggered under the law and both sides have provided their sides of the transition team.”
Afenyo stated that Stan Dogbe is trying to undermine him or provoke NDC vigilantes against him, asserting that due process has been followed.
“He is either trying to cow me or to incite the vigilantes of NDC to start chasing me. I will not run away if they think they have gotten power to come and kill. I will be the first to be killed, I don’t mind. But I want him to know that I am not a coward, I will not insult, I will follow due process and I am calling for due process, I am calling on the rule of law to be respected.”
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