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Pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) says it is not convinced that the comments made by Hon. Kennedy Agyapong are out place. The group in a statement signed by its leading members said �a careful analysis of the statement shows that, it was a conditional statement.� Kennedy Agyapong, who is also the New Patriotic Party�s MP for Assin North is in police grips for making pronouncements on radio, considered as inciting and treasonable. He was invited by the police CID on Monday and has been in detention since. His angry supporters stormed the police headquarters to protest his continued detention but to no avail. They subsequently besieged the road infront of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation the same day where they engaged the police in fisticuffs. Mr. Agyapong was then charged with treason on Tuesday and processed for court on Wednesday where the trial judge, Justice Patricia Quansah, referred the case to the Chief Justice. His comment has been condemned by many civil society groups such as the Christian Council, which has described it as divisive. The NPP has also distanced itself from the comment even though some senior officials are standing by him. But a statement released by AFAG on Wednesday said, �given the sequence of events and the laid-back attitude adopted by the police in dealing with brutalities perpetrated on a section of the political divide, the comments of the Hon. Member were envisaged� Is it therefore not a clarion call on all of us to make a firm commitment to play by rules of the very institutions we have created to serve us, as a people?� The group however condemned the tribal sentiments expressed by Mr. Agyapong and have called on him to retract and apologise. This notwithstanding, the group stressed that: �to turn a blind eye on those whose actions triggered the conditional statement and chastise Hon. Ken Agyepong, is nothing but sheer hypocrisy. We are vehemently opposed to the scenario where on an issue of equal measure, one is extolled whiles the other is demonized.� Read the full statement below KEN AGYEPONG�S MOTIVE, A WAKE UP CALL! Ladies and gentlemen of the press, you are all warmly welcome to this press conference. We have met here this morning, to raise issues and also state our position on certain undercurrents which has the potential to mar our democratic credentials, and blur our reputation as one of the most peaceful countries in the sub region. Ladies & gentlemen, if appropriate steps are not taken to address these widespread systemic grievances and tensions, AFAG fears the current happenings potentially, can cause violence prior, during or after 2012 elections. As a first measure of tackling these undercurrents, it is important to allow the various state institutions to carry out their constitutionally mandated duties without the interference of politicians who are not, and will never be custodians of the law. Ladies and gentlemen, article 51 of the 1992 constitution clearly states �the electoral commission shall, by constitutional instrument, make regulations for the effective performance of its functions under this constitution or any other law, and in particular, for the registration of voters, the conduct of public elections and referenda, including provision for voting by proxy�. We are where we are today because some people have decided to arrogate to themselves powers which the supreme law of the land has not bestowed on. For the records, AFAG would like to pose the following questions for the consideration of all: � Is it the case that a politician should determine who registers and who does not register in a given constituency? No � Is it the case that people who pay taxes to local authorities and are classified as ordinary residents by the electoral commission, be deprived of registering on the basis that they are not indigenes? No � Is it the case, that a female leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party was assaulted by some NDC supporters for encouraging the people of odododiodio to register? YES � Is it the case that, following the assault of the leading NPP member, some members of the NPP who stormed the area the following day were assaulted in the presence of the police? YES � Is it the case that supporters of the ruling party subsequently, stormed Odododiodoo to threaten mayhem and in some cases confiscate the cards of people who the electoral commission classifies as ordinary residents? YES � Is it the case that, Franklin Addai (reported by daily guide) threatened to shoot anyone who attempted obstructing the path of the riot running NDC sympathizers in Odododiodoo? Yes � Is it the case that the NDC parliamentary candidate, Nii Lantey Vandapuije, swore to prevent non indigenes from registering even if it meant spilling blood? YES � Is it the case that some ministers of state have lauded the people of Odododiodoo for assaulting a member of the opposition? YES. Ladies and gentlemen of the press in light of the above, AFAG is not convinced that the comments made by Hon. Kennedy Agyepong is out of place. Given the sequence of events and the laid-back attitude adopted by the police in dealing with brutalities perpetrated on a section of the political divide, the comments of the Hon. Member were envisaged. A careful analysis of the statement shows that, it was a conditional statement. Is it therefore not a clarion call on all of us to make a firm commitment to play by rules of the very institutions we have created to serve us, as a people? As a group, AFAG is and has always been conscious about the negative effects and repercussions tribalism has on us as a country. Unreservedly, we condemn any attempt to tribalise politics in this country, and hence urge Hon ken Ajepong to go ahead to do the honorable thing. This notwithstanding, we stand by the position that, there are systemic grievances and tensions, and therefore society must rise to find solutions to these undercurrents, and desist from gathering the dust, under the carpet. Therefore, to turn a blind eye on those whose actions triggered the conditional statement and chastise Hon. Ken Agyepong, is nothing but sheer hypocrisy. We are vehemently opposed to the scenario where on an issue of equal measure, one is extolled whiles the other is demonized. To this end, AFAG wishes to state without equivocation that the comments made by Mr. Kpessah White, the Christian Council and the Centre for Democratic Development are not only sentimental but hypocritical as well. In all of their presentations, these groups have failed to interrogate the issue by addressing the remote cause of the issue as opposed to sentimentally and hypocritically, chastising the Hon Member of Parliament. �Where there is darkness, crimes will be committed. The Guilty one is not merely he who commits the crime but he who caused the darkness� Victor Hugo Signed: Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie Abu Ramadan Arnold Boateng Davis Opoku Ansah Kweku Ohene Djan