The clash between National Democratic Congress (NDC) sympathisers and New Patriotic Party (NPP) loyalists on Sunday, November 13 has seen the blame traded between the two agents with no one owning up to claim the near fatal skirmish.
NDC Greater Accra Regional Executives organised a health walk which saw them thread on the La Junction through Jockey to Osu Oxford Street, Danquah Circle through the Police Headquarters to Ako Adjei Interchange before heading to the Nima Police station route which also houses the NPP presidential nominee, Nana Akufo-Addo.
It is at this juncture the reports start taking different shapes. While the NDC supporters contend upon reaching Nana Addo’s residence lane, his private security guards opened fire in the air destabilizing them. The NPP operatives also hold the NDC folks on the march sought to pour in to Nana Addo’s private residence and it was in self-defense those warning shots were fired to disperse the crowd.
It soon emerged bottles were hurled at the residence while heated exchanges between the two party people went on for a while before the police with reinforcement managed to deescalate the situation.
Nana Addo himself has condemned the clash however observing the NDC loyalists are forming a pattern of setting upon NPP members and assaulting them in certain cases, further calling on the police to be seen to be fair to all parties.
Spokesperson for the John Mahama 2016 campaign and Deputy Minister of Transport, Joyce Bawah Mogtari has also condemned the attack but noted all the guns and other offensive weapons wielded were by the NPP ‘thugs’ as she labels in Nanna Addo’s home adding no NDC participant tried entering the opposition leader’s home since the place was condoned off by the police.
Present Mahama himself has also condemned the Sunday event pledging his personal and government’s resolve to oversee a peaceful election.
On Monday, police spokesperson, Superintendent Cephas Arthur revealed but for the restrain shown by a police commander, lives could have been lost.
He submitted on Starr FM’s Morning Show that one of the guards of the NPP flagbearer pointed a gun at a police officer during the riot that ensued in front of Nana Akufo-Addo’s house on Sunday.
“One of the guards later gave a warning shot after pointing the gun at the Police Commander. The police officer however exercised a level of restrain else we will be telling a different story today,†he rendered.
The police say they are investigating the case and will prosecute offenders.