Ace Ankomah condemns Ken Agyapong

He has also cautioned those who take delight in denigrating women and raining insults on the EC Chairperson for political reasons to stop.

His comments come barely 24hours after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament is reported to have launched a scathing attack on Charlotte Osei; alleging that she was appointed in exchange for sex.

Mr. Agyapong alleged “some highly placed officials in government” told Osei to “bring your buttocks in exchange of EC Chair position”.

He continued, “if indeed Nana Addo (the party’s running mate) wins according to the pink sheets and Charlotte Osei dares to rig the elections by twisting our arms in favour of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), we will not allow it to happen in Ghana.”

The outspoken MP was addressing a rally to launch the campaign of aspiring MP for Asokwa, who incidentally is a woman, Dr Patricia Appiah Agyei.

The NPP MP’s disgraceful comment drew a lot of applause from supporters in the party’s stronghold.

‘Liberians wanted peace, Ivoirians also wished same and so were Sierra Leoneans. Whatever brought them to this stage, I say ALL DIE BE DIE. We will fight to defend this country, I have hope that Ghanaians will vote for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. EC can never rig the elections. That day if you are a Priest or faint- hearted just stay in your homes. We will fight to defend this country,” he charged.

The renowned lawyer, is among few prominent Ghanaians who have openly criticized the NPP MP, – renowned for using inflammatory statements on radio and television – saying he (Ken Agyapong) can disagree and get angry with Charlotte but must not stoop to insults.

In his opinion, this sickening attack on some women “that they are only who or what they are and will become, for any reason other than personal attainment and achievement (that other reason being sex),” should be condemned by all well-meaning Ghanaians.

Without naming names, Lawyer Ankomah in a Facebook post on Monday June 27, said he expects “political parties” to “have the guts, spine and cojones” to openly rebuke their members (in this case the Assin North MP) when they pass such “unfortunate” comments.

The post read; “I have read comments allegedly made about EC Boss Mrs. Charlotte Osei by an MP. I am deliberately not naming the MP because, these days, strange happenings on the Internet and social media makes one careful about the veracity of such stories. Or, maybe, the content of this story is so outrageous and sickening that there is a part of me that wishes it wasn’t true. But just for the records, I was in Legon when a Miss Charlotte Kesson-Smith (now Mrs. Charlotte Osei) also entered Legon, same faculty. Then School of Law. Then she worked as a TA at the Faculty. Then she attended the same Canadian grad school as I did, Queen’s University. Years later she worked as an Associate in my firm. Now she’s EC boss. When we celebrated our 25th anniversary, we were honoured to host her at one of the events as an alum that we are proud of.

I have two daughters, and I hope that they will go pursue education, at least, up the level that Charlotte achieved. I believe that their mother, aunts and grandmother, and several other women are inspirations to them, encouraging them to be all they can be.

I would go ballistic if anyone suggests, in the future, that they are only who or what they are and will become, for any reason other than personal attainment and achievement. And I will shoot anyone who says that other reason is sex.

Charlotte has a dad too. Whether this story is true or not, he must feel as offended as I can only imagine I would be, if not more.

I call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to speak up and out against this and any other denigration of women. The African woman works against considerable odds to attain heights that men take for granted. It is not allowed for her to be denigrated in this manner, simply because a person disagrees with her.

I call on political parties whose members make such comments to have the guts, spine and cojones to condemn such statements too”.