Members of the Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tolon Constituency have petitioned the National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah to ensure justice is served in relation to the death of one of their colleagues, Haruna Shaibu, during the 2024 elections.
According to them, they want those who killed the late Shaibu, also known as ‘Alhaji,’ to be brought to book.
They made the appeal on May 21 during a townhall meeting at Nyankpala during Mr Nketiah’s ‘Thank You Tour’ of the Northern Region. They pleaded with Mr Nketiah to act swiftly on their petition.
Addressing the gathering, the National Chairman assured the youth that the security agencies are investigating the matter together with others that took place around the country, hence the perpetrators will be dealt with accordingly.
“...before the election, you all remember, they prepared some agreement that we should be signing, and that when we sign that agreement, there will be no violence in the 2024 election. I said documents alone cannot prevent violence. The police, the soldiers, and the people in authority, if they want to prevent violence, they can prevent violence.
And so, I'm putting pressure on the security and you must remember, the President himself has directed the IGP to produce an update on all the murder cases that occurred during the election. We are going to continue to follow this matter,” he assured.
According to Mr Nketiah, “about the 2024 elections, nobody deserves to be tanked better than the Tolon Constituency because you did not spend your money alone, you did not spend your energy alone but you lost a dear brother.
So, it is because of the sacrifices of people like Alhaji that NDC is in power now. So, if we win and we don't take the trouble to remember those who sacrificed to put us in power and we are sitting in Accra thinking that we are in power, so every other thing that happened before we came to power doesn't matter again, then we are deceiving ourselves because 2028 is approaching and we will come back to the same people.”
He noted that, as the leader of the NDC, the death of ‘Alhaji’ is of much concern to him.
“So, I share the pain with you. Some of you may not even feel the way I feel because if you are a general and you lead your army into battle, and somebody's son, somebody's daughter loses their life because you have asked them to go and do the campaign, you'll be walking in the streets carrying that guilt, that if we had not asked these people to go and campaign, perhaps you'll be alive.
He may be your friend, he may be your brother, but I carry a heavier responsibility of ensuring that we have justice for Alhaji. And so don't create the impression that you are fighting against some of us at all. We are fighting the same battle,” he assured.
Mr Nketiah announced that the party will help complete the constituency which is under construction and name it after the late ‘Alhaji’.
“While I was speaking with the District Chief Executive, he mentioned the fact that you are putting up a constituency office, you have gotten to roofing level. So, whilst we are looking for justice for Alhaji, I want to direct headquarters of NDC to come and complete that constituency office. And then, we will put the picture, or if possible, the statue of Alhaji, so that we name the constituency office of Tolon after Alhaji,” the party’s Chairman declared.
He also announced that plans are afoot to compensate members who lost their vehicles during the electioneering period.
“I have been with my friend whose vehicle was destroyed and we have tried to do something to replace that one. The DC just told me that there were two vehicles involved. So, I'll be looking for the second person to see what we can do to correct that injustice,” Mr Nketiah assured.
He pleaded with the youth to keep their love for the NDC alive.
“So, I beg you, don't let your spirit go down, because somebody was the beneficiary of that murder. And that person is from NPP, not from NDC. So, if you decide that you are destroying your own party, you are making that person stronger. So, your recourse is not to weaken your party. So, what you can do for Alhaji is to continue fighting. I can understand the pain, but let the pain urge you to fight for justice for your brother who you love. And the way to fight for justice is not to destroy your own party.,” he urged.
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