Election 2020: NDC will defend itself - Sly Mensah vows

A flagbearer aspirant of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sylvester Mensah, has said the NDC will fight back any attempt by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to cause mayhem in the 2020 General elections.

Mr. Mensah is of the view that the violent attacks against members of the NDC during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election on 31 January 2019, was indicative of how the NPP intends approaching the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

The former CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has, therefore, assured the supporters and members of the NDC that the main opposition party will defend itself in the general elections since the police were helpless during the by-election mayhem which led to 16 NDC members sustaining gunshot wounds at the private residence of the party’s candidate at La-Bawaleshie when national security operatives opened fire on them barely an hour into the poll.

Speaking on AccraFM, Mr Mensah emphasized: “In the face of the police’s helplessness, the NDC will have no choice than to defend itself. The NDC is for peace and Ghanaians are for peace. We saw clearly an attempt by the NPP government to legitimise their vigilante groups – The Delta Force and the Invincible Forces, by clothing them in National Security apparel and visiting mayhem on defenceless and helpless and unprepared Ghanaians and all members of the NDC.

“We could see that there was an attempt to try what strategies they have developed for the 2020 elections and implement it in the by-election to see what the outcome will be, but they failed.”

He added: “I will want to say that right after my election on the 23rd of February, the NDC, as a political party, will begin to prepare effectively towards free and peaceful elections in 2020.

“In the face of the police’s helplessness, the NDC will not retreat, the NDC will not withdraw, the NDC will defend itself and will win the 2020 elections.”