Richard Ahiagbah, the National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party, has acknowledged that the thugs who broke into the UTV studios last weekend are in fact party members.
On Monday, Mr. Ahiagbah repeated that the party had not approved of their behavior when speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo.
“Those who took that action are indeed party people. Yes they are our party members…,” he confirmed.
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, as United Showbiz was airing, a gang of NPP members attacked the UTV studios and demanded the return of frequent commentator Kwame Asare Obeng, aka A Plus.
The gang is claimed to have attacked several media firm employees before entering the studios because they were upset that A Plus destroyed a letter from the NPP leadership to the management of UTV requesting for a reform of United Showbiz.
16 people were later detained by police in connection with the incident, according to a police announcement.
Political activists and other critics have since widely condemned the episode, calling it a blatant assault on free speech and the freedom of the press.
However, Mr. Ahiagbah asserts that despite the fact that the party had good cause to be unhappy with the ideas and opinions expressed on United Showbiz, it never supported the attack, which is why the NPP leadership strongly condemned it.
“We are aware about the fact that some people had issues with the program and some discussions about it. But the action they took was very much against the history and tradition of the NPP and that is why we immediately made it clear that the party was against it,” he stated.
