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‘Two wrongs don’t make a right’ – NPP supporters told

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Prof. Evans Aggrey-Darko

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana has admonished supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party who have reportedly been vandalising and seizing state property to stop.

Prof Evans Aggrey-Darko says no matter how offended they might have felt about the treatment meted out to them by supporters of the previous government, their approach is wrong.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, the political science lecturer citing similar incidents perpetuated by NDC supporters in 2009, said the supporters must realize that things won’t always be the same.

“Today’s majority can be tomorrow’s minority. Political circumstances can change. Two wrongs don’t make a right, the party supporters are wrong.”

Supporters of the NPP, since the announcement of their presidential candidate as winner of the 2016 general elections have attempted to seize public property.

Related: NPP supporters allegedly attack toll booth operators, made away with GHC8000

They have locked up government offices, seized toll booths and reportedly vandalized state properties in some parts of the country.

Although their actions have earned them swift criticisms, the party’s acting Chairman, Fredie Blay in an interview regarding the development on Thursday justified the actions of the supporters.

He said their actions are aimed at protecting state property, adding that, “if people are stealing cars from the harbour, are you suggesting that we should wait and call the police.”

Even though Prof Aggrey-Darko agrees that citizens must play a role in the enforcement of law and order, he said their approach is unacceptable.

Related: NPP supporters attack school feeding caterers in Ashanti region

He said there is a need to build the right democratic citizenship not one that divides, therefore the actions of the supporters must be condemned.

“As citizens, we have every responsibility to protect our republic, effect citizen’s arrest where necessary and maintain the sanity and keep the state intact.

“But if somebody is occupying a certain facility illegally, I don’t think that you would want to use an illegal action to evict that person,” he added.

Prof. Aggrey Darko believes that citizens, even after playing their role must step aside for the appropriate agencies of state, tasked with the responsibility and capacity to deal with these things to be brought in immediately.

Related: Angry Portuphy shreds Akufo-Addo over NPP attacks, seizures

For him, state resources do not belong only to a certain group of people, and leaders at any point in time hold these resources in trust, therefore “the least party supporters can do is support government so that the government can turn their fortunes around.

“Eventually, if the government succeeds, it has a positive spillover effect on all of us and makes the party attractive and it even makes their work in trying to mobilize more support for the party even easier.”

He stressed the need for an end to such practices because “if we are not able to stop somewhere, we will perpetuate a cycle of vengeance which will be dangerous.”

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