Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine and Kwame Asare Obeng
A public feud has erupted between the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A-Plus, over a bribery allegation that has sparked widespread public and media interest.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr. Ayine forcefully denied claims made by A-Plus on social media accusing him of corruption, including allegations that he attempted to bribe the Appointments Committee of Parliament and influenced the distribution of funds from the Sanitation Levy.
“I have never stolen before in my life and have never received a bribe in public office,” the Attorney General stated, adding, “All those who have dealt with me know this for a fact. The President would not have appointed me Attorney General if he had questions about my integrity.”
Dr. Ayine said he was shocked by the accusations, which he described as “palpable falsehoods” and “name-calling with no basis in fact.”
He explained that he had no involvement with the passage of the Sanitation Levy, as he was not a member of the Finance Committee in Parliament, which was responsible for the legislation.
“I have the Hansard and the votes and proceedings of Parliament to prove that I had no role in the matter A-Plus alleged,” he said, displaying documents he claimed support his defence.
“I was never in a position to influence the composition of the committee or channel any money,” he intimated.
Addressing the claim that he accepted campaign contributions, including pickups, from individuals such as a businessman identified as Dr. Sledge, Dr. Ayine said such contributions are a common part of political campaigns and do not amount to corruption.
“If receiving donations or a pickup for your campaign is corruption, then there are 276 thieves in Parliament, including the person making the allegation,” Dr. Ayine said, referring to the independent MP, who is doing business with the Majority Caucus in Parliament.
The Attorney General also condemned what he described as a veiled threat from A-Plus, who allegedly warned him not to take action or risk further exposure.
“That is laughable,” Dr. Ayine responded and continued, “I do not act carelessly. I think through the consequences of my actions, not only for myself but for others. I have nothing to hide.”
He further challenged A-Plus to either present concrete evidence at a press conference or submit it to the Ghana Police Service for formal investigation.
“Let him stop cowardly hiding behind social media. If he has something, let him bring it forward,” Dr. Ayine declared. “In my hometown of Zuarungu, we do not fear mud being thrown at us. We walk into the mud to face the one doing the mudslinging.”
The Attorney General then made a counter-suggestion, urging the media to question A-Plus about what he knows regarding the National Service “ghost name” scandal, hinting at potential misconduct on the part of the MP.
A-Plus Rebuttal
In a swift and fiery rebuttal on social media, A-Plus stood by his accusations and escalated the war of words.
“No! That is not true,” A-Plus wrote. “According to my information, you went to beg for 500,000 cedis that you were going to use to bribe the Appointments Committee of Parliament. You are not the only one.”
He added other unprintable words to his Facebook discourse.
The back-and-forth has sparked a broader conversation about integrity in public office and the increasing use of social media platforms to make serious allegations without formal evidence.
By Ernest Kofi Adu