Tolon: Dr Osman Tahidu Damba and his assignees was the cause of the violence that led to the death of an innocent man at Nyankpala NPP claim

The constituency executives of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of the Tolon constituency in the Northern Region, has said that, the NDC 2024 parliamentary candidate for Tolon constituency Dr Osman Tahidu Damba, should be held responsible for the acts of violence that led to a loss of live and another injured during the just-ended presidential and parliamentary elections at Nyankpala of the District.
According to them, the NDC PC directed his boys to attack people moving from other places to Tolon to cast their votes, hence the confrontation and the gun fired.
The constituency secretary Mr. Iddrisu Ganin Dawuni who read the statement on behalf of his colleagues narrated that, “evidence available to us in audiovisuals, revealed that they unleashed thugs on NPP members sensing that they were heading to yet another defeat at the peak of voting on December 7, 2024. They were those who directed roadblocks be mounted and stopped people from moving to Tolon to vote just because they suspected these persons who are legitimately registered voters would vote against them”.
He further explained that, “in the ensuing confrontation we reiterate that, they directed their arm-wielding thugs to attack the vehicles transporting these voters to Tolon and in the process vandalized vehicles belonging to the NPP Regional Organiser, Alhaji Rashid COP and others at the UDS Nyankpala Campus Polling Station”.
Mr. Iddrisu while addressing the media also denied the assertion that the Member of Parliament for Tolon constituency Alhaji Habib Iddrisu was part of those who fired the gun during the confrontation between the supporters of the two political parties.
“We have seen a deliberate attempt to drag the MP of Tolon into the whole scheme and wish to state that, Alhaji Habib Iddrisu was nowhere near the scene of the acts of violence perpetrated by Osman Tahidu Damba and his assignees who were at their violent best”.
“Hon Alhaji Habib Iddrisu, was nowhere close to the scene, is much worried about the development because he abhors violence in any form not just because he wants to retain his seat, but because he represents all residents of the area irrespective of their political affiliation. He expresses his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and promised to follow the matter to its logical conclusion until justice is served”, he added.
It would be recalled that on Saturday December 7th one person was shot dead, while another got injured following a violent confrontation between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at a polling station in Nyankpala, Northern Region.
Read the full statement below
*Press Conference by the New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Tolon Constituency of the Northern Region(12-12-24)*
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, we welcome you to this emergency press conference and sincerely apologize for the short notice.
It has become imperative to address this presser to set the records straight on the misinformation being peddled by our opponents the National Democratic Congress (NDC) aimed at diverting the minds of residents of Tolon and Ghanaians as a whole from the actual facts of the matter on the ground in respect of the violent incidents that occurred on the election’s day.
First of all, we wish to condemn the acts of violence at the UDS Nyankpala polling station where the NDC parliamentary candidate led thugs to attack the Regional Organiser of the NPP, Ahaji Rashid COP, which saw the windshield of his Toyota Hilux Pickup vehicle vandalized.
They later moved to Nyankpala township where they blocked the main road with a pickup and other objects and stopped some persons from coming into the constituency to vote amid sporadic shooting leading to one death. It is instructive to note that a number of buses were turned back by these thugs with the endorsement of the NDC candidate.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, let me refresh your memory of the violent nature of NDC in Tolon Constituency. During the 2020 limited registration exercise, the NDC thugs blocked the road at Nyankpala and stopped some of the Buses that brought people from Tamale to register on their way home. They destroyed the vehicles and subjected the people to severe beatings but for the timely intervention of the police, the people were saved. Similarly in 2024 limited registration at the EC office, the NDC parliamentary candidate Osman Tahidu Damba is on video to have personally violently attacked one of our agents Abdul Jalil at the registration centre. The deputy constituency organizer of NDC during the same registration exercise pulled out a gun and after firing several warning shots and running out of bullet, took to his heels but was apprehended and the gun retrieved from him. He was shouting on top of his voice that they will kill us like they killed Abu Hanifa at Jakpahi. It is worth noting that, just when the NPP Presidential Candidate conceded defeat to his opponent, the NDC thugs in Tolon constituency attacked the residence of the DCE and the NPP regional Secretary professor Hudu Zakaria as well as several other party youth leading to their relocation to other places for safety.
Hon Alhaji Habib Iddrisu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tolon constituency who was nowhere close to the scene, is much worried about the development because he abhors violence in any form not just because he wants to retain his seat, but because he represents all residents of the area irrespective of their political affiliation. He expresses his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and promised to follow the matter to its logical conclusion until justice is served.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we want to state here and now that the incidents leading to the violence that culminated to the unfortunate death and injuries should be squarely blamed on the NDC Parliamentary Candidate Osman Tahidu Damba and his Constituency Communication Officer, Seidu Fiter.
Incontrovertible evidence available to us in audiovisuals, revealed that they unleashed thugs on NPP members sensing that they were heading to yet another defeat at the peak of voting on December 7, 2024. They were those who directed roadblocks be mounted and stopped people from moving to Tolon to vote just because they suspected these persons who are legitimately registered voters would vote against them.
In the ensuing confrontation we reiterate that, they directed their arm-wielding thugs to attack the vehicles transporting these voters to Tolon and in the process vandalized vehicles belonging to the NPP Regional Organiser, Alhaji Rashid COP and others at the UDS Nyankpala Campus Polling Station.
We have seen a deliberate attempt to drag the MP of Tolon into the whole scheme and wish to state that, Alhaji Habib Iddrisu was nowhere near the scene of the acts of violence perpetrated by Osman Tahidu Damba and his assignees who were at their violent best
Not satisfied with what had been done in Nyankpala and UDS, they broke into the warehouse of Hon Habib Iddrisu where his goods for his private business had been kept in Tamale which led to over 100 assembled and yet-to-be assembled SOYALANA branded motorbikes being stolen by the miscreants as well as a number of sewing machines.
They later marched to his private residence at Old Airport, looted property and nearly burnt it down but for the timely intervention of the military.
A formal complaint of the looting and attacks have been lodged with the Ghana Police Service who indicated that they are investigating the matter.
We wish to call on the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate these matters and bring perpetrators to book since the country is governed by laws. We cannot allow people to flout laws with impunity and get away with it. The lives of every citizen matters to us and should not have been lost on the altar of greed in view of the conduct of our opponents.
On this note we wish to thank residents of the Tolon Constituency for reposing an overwhelming confidence in Hon Alhaji Habib Iddrisu by retaining him as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tolon Constituency with 30,893 votes as against 24,772 votes for the NDC candidate.
Once again, we want to take this opportunity to join millions of Ghanaians and the constituents to congratulate Hon. Habib Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament Elect for Tolon Constituency for proving to the world that, Tolon is and will forever remain the stronghold of NPP in the northern region.
We wish to thank you for your resolve to choose development over propaganda.
Tolon will continue to rise.
May God Bless Tolon!
May we continue to pursue the interest of our people!
Thank You for coming.
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.