Koku Anyidoho
The supposed clarion call by former President John Dramani Mahama to opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) foot soldiers to rally behind his appointees who might be prosecuted for corruption-related cases, has been shot down by an executive member of the party.
In what looks like an open defiance to the former president, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Koku Anyidoho, has stressed that nobody is going to waste his/her time to follow such people to court.
During the celebration of the 36th anniversary of the 31st December ‘revolution’ led by then Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings in Ho, Volta Region, Mr. Mahama appeared to have incited the foot soldiers to throng the courts where appointees under his tenure might be hauled for corruption, in a show of solidarity.
“Recently, President Akufo-Addo was threatening members of our administration with prosecution when he visited the Eastern Region and I said yes, we are prepared to accept the probity of our tenure in office,” he said, adding, “Having been the disciples of probity and accountability, we must not run away from probity and accountability. We must be prepared to face any prosecution that this government throws to us, but we must do this with commitment and solidarity.”
Former President Mahama continued, “Solidarity with our colleagues who will fall foul of the law because the law says you are innocent until proven guilty by competence and justice of the court, and so we cannot pronounce our colleagues guilty on the basis of allegations by the NPP.
“They will have their day in court and until they have that day in court, it is our duty to solidarize with them to make sure they have the best legal representation to be able to put their case in order, and it is my wish that things will turn out well for them.”
However, Mr. Anyidoho said on Adom FM in Accra yesterday that the call by the former president is untenable.
“Why should I wake up in the morning and say a particular individual has been sent to court so I must follow him to court?” he fired.
He added, “Of course, such persons have families, friends and loved ones who are free to follow them to court, and, of course, who may want to follow them to court and nothing stops them; but to mass up as party executives, stop our jobs and follow them to court, no!”
Barely 48 hours after Mr. Mahama had made the call, sitting President Akufo-Addo assented to the much-talked-about Special Prosecutor Bill to become law on Tuesday.
The office of the Special Prosecutor is expected to investigate and put before court previous and serving government appointees who might be found to have misappropriated public funds or caused financial loss to the state or found to have been corrupt.
By William Yaw Owusu