A former Director of Communications for the governing New Patriotic Party, (NPP), Nana Akomea, has urged former President John Dramani Mahama to withdraw the do-or-die comment he made in relation to the 2024 election.
According to Nana Akomea, Mr. Mahama must quickly withdraw the comments if it is an expression that connotes death and violence.
While on his ‘Thank You’ tour in the Bono Region, the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC said his party will be more vigilant during the 2024 general elections.
“The 2020 elections were rigged for the NPP. We have however accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court for the sake of peace. However, come 2024, the NDC will be extra vigilant at the polling stations because that is where the elections are won.”
So at the polling station [in the next election], it will be do or die. I am not saying all die be die. I’m saying it will be ‘do or die’ because the right thing must be done,” Mahama said.
However, critics believe the statement is in bad taste and have demanded a retraction.
Mr. Mahama has justified the comments indicating that it is an idiomatic expression that cannot be equated to the all-die-be comment made by the then-candidate Akufo-Addo in the run-up to the 2012 elections.
“It is an idiomatic expression. In the English Language, we have idioms in there. I think those who left school early do not understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have, and you must do the needful or perish. What it means is that [officials of the] NDC shouldn’t wait and go to the Supreme Court again.”
“So we have to do whatever we need to do at the polling station and the collation centres. So I won’t retract. The next election for NDC is going to be a do-or-die affair because we have to do the right thing at the polling stations. So I’m telling all our party executives that they must be at the polling stations and make sure the right thing is done. They must also be at the collation centres and make sure the right thing is done.”
But Nana Akomea disagrees with the justification.
He insists the comment by Mr. Mahama only endorses electoral violence.
“He should come out very quickly to say the expression I used, if it connotes violence and death, that is not what I meant and I withdraw it. It is not weakness, it is strength. We are sad about the unfortunate death at Techiman, but what John Dramani Mahama is saying is actually justifying the thing.”
