The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Old Tafo constituency has vowed to take legal action against Frederick Frank Dankwah, Deputy Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area, for allegedly making false claims against their parliamentary candidate, Sahmudeen Mohammed Kamil, on a Kumasi-based radio show, which the NDC sees as an attempt to deceive voters.
Frederick accused Mr. Kamil of deceiving voters by claiming that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP's Flagbearer, endorsed him solely because they share the same Muslim faith, implying that this shared faith would grant him special access and influence with Bawumia, and using this claim to garner votes.
"…the deputy secretary alleged that our candidate has misled constituents in the Ahenbronum electoral area by falsely claiming that Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the dishonest and untrustworthy flagbearer of the NPP, endorsed his candidacy based solely on religious affiliation,” Constituency secretary for the NDC, Abubakar Sadiq said.
Mr Sadiq has denied the accusations made by Frederick, labeling them as "unequivocally false and malicious" attempts to tarnish their candidate's reputation and mislead voters.
Abubakar emphasizes that their campaign in the constituency has been built on a foundation of honesty and integrity, focusing on policy discussions, community development among other issues that matter to the constituents, while avoiding religious or divisive language, and promoting a message of unity and inclusivity.
The NDC Communication Officer, Abdul Mujeeb Abdul Rahmann, is demanding a formal retraction and apology from Frederick within one week, warning of legal action if he fails to comply.
He says the party is prepared to take necessary measures to safeguard their candidate's reputation and ensure the integrity of the electoral process is maintained.
“Should the deputy secretary fails to retract the defamatory statements and issue a formal apology within a week after this press conference, we reserve the right to pursue legal recourse to protect our candidate and seek appropriate remedies under the law,” Abdul Mujeeb stated.
The party urges all political parties to elevate their campaigns beyond trivial and divisive strategies, and instead, concentrate on addressing the genuine concerns and challenges that impact citizens' lives.
“Let us engage in constructive dialogue, debate policies and propose solutions that will bring about the development and progress our communities desperately need.”
Abdul Mujeed assures that the party's campaign in the constituency will remain focused on addressing key issues and policies, rather than resorting to religious or divisive tactics, maintaining a commitment to substance over rhetoric.
Credit: Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen