Have We Entered A New And Dangerous Phase In Ghanaian Politics?

Does the aborted attempt to assassinate President Mahama, mark a new and dangerous phase, in our nation's politics?

Perchance, has the demonisation of leading political figures that results from the intense rivalry between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and the biggest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), created a miasma that is now enveloping Ghanaian society - in a massive and toxic fog-of-pure-hatred?

Not too long ago, that massive and toxic fog-of-pure-hatred, killed the NPP's Upper East regional chairperson, Alhaji Adams Mahama - and it now seeks to forcibly end the political careers of that selfsame party's  national chairperson, Paul Afoko, and its  general secretary, Kwabena Adjapong.

The question that patriotic and independent-minded Ghanaians  (particularly the younger generation) ought to pose is: Would ordinary Ghanaians not be better off rejecting candidates of both the NDC and NPP, in the December 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections - to prevent their rivalry from eventually destroying Ghana?

Perhaps we must not be surprised that the scorched-earth-politics practised by the small cabals - made up of violence-prone and amoral party hardliners - that dominate the NDC and NPP, from the shadows, has created the atmosphere of intolerance that has resulted in an apparently deranged man undertaking a solo mission to assassinate President Mahama.

Today, it is Charles Antwi seeking to kill Ghana's President. Tomorrow, it might be the NDC's Azorka Boys, and the NPP's Action Troopers, as well as its Invisible Forces and Bolga Bulldogs, devouring their own paymasters - at the behest of terrorist groups: such as  the Boko Harams of this world.

What ends do those funding some of the many strikes and public demonstrations across the country seek, one wonders?

Why destabilise a nation you want to govern one day, if you claim to believe in constitutional democracy, one wonders? And why is a political party that says it is a bastion of individual liberty and free speech,  seeking to sideline its duly-elected party chairperson and its general secretary?

For years, some of us have repeatedly said that the silent majority of decent and fair-minded party members in Ghana's two biggest political parties, need to stop looking the other way - as a violent few ride roughshod over dissenters.

We have also said that if the silent majority in the two parties fail to drive out members of the cabals-of-violence that do their parties' dirty work for them, from their midst, their parties will eventually be devoured by the Frankenstein monsters they have allowed to amass such power within their ranks.

Fair-minded and nationalistic party members and supporters,  who make up a silent majority in all the political parties in our country, need to understand that the cabals-of-violence in Ghana's two biggest political parties, actually pose a long-term threat to Ghana's stability.

That is why it is vital that our nation's  security agencies, carry out a thorough investigation into the failed attempt to assassinate President Mahama, by Charles Antwi - to establish that it was not a conspiracy by shadowy figures in our nation's politics.

We must not dismiss out of hand, the suspicions of those who say that perhaps Charles Antwi was used by conspirators as a perfect patsy,  to enable them physically eliminate President Mahama by remote control - and get away with it successfully.

Was the firearm Charles Antwi was arrested with registered in his name? If not, whose name was it registered in - and who gave it to him? And when exactly did he receive it - and precisely what purpose was it intended to be used for by Charles Antwi?

The authorities must ensure that Charles Antwi does not end up being murdered to silence him - like Lee Harvey Oswald, US President Kennedy's alleged assassin was, by Jack Ruby.

Perhaps it would be prudent to hold him in the cells at the Bureau of National Investigations' (BNI) headquarters building whiles investigations are carried out to ascertain whether or not there was a conspiracy by persons unkown to kill President Mahama.

Perhaps those veritable cowards,  having realised just how delusional Charles Antwi was, simply used him -  in order to enable them escape detection. Charles Antwi can have all the psychiatric care he needs whiles in protective custody at the BNI headquarters.

Clearly, the personal safety of our nation's present crop of politicians (from across the spectrum) must no longer be taken for granted. Neither must we take the stability of the Republic for granted.

The security agencies must now routinely offer round-the-clock protection for all the leading political figures (including all parliamentarians) in Ghana - both in the governing party and the opposition parties.

And they must be more professional in their intelligence-gathering activities. It must be devoid of partisanship going forward into the distant future.

Alas, the age of innocence in our national life, is gone for good. Henceforth, Ghanaians must be vigilant at all material times - lest violent individuals destroy the peace and stability our nation enjoys. We have now entered a new and dangerous phase in Ghanaian politics.