Former President John Mahama’s decision to campaign in Accra on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, has raised eyebrows, coming on the heels of the Presidential Candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s successful campaign in the same city on Monday.
Dr Bawumia on Monday tour Ablekuma North and South Constituencies in Greater Accra as he commenced a day Tour in Techiman Tui and will return to Accra on Thursday starting from Dome-Kwabenya Constituency.
On Monday evening, former President John Dramani Mahama, who is desperate for power, also issued a statement announcing the commencement of an 8-day tour in the Greater Accra Region in a move to counter Bawumia’s own.
Mahama’s move has been described as a desperate attempt to counter Bawumia’s growing momentum.
Speaking at a rally in Accra Tuesday, John Mahama accused Dr Bawumia of trying to divert attention from the NDC’s manifesto launch with his media encounter on Sunday, August 25.
He verbally insulted the Vice President by saying “When you do something with a devious intention, it backfires on you. You know how to tell if people are lying if there are people who are smooth talkers who can speak like machine guns, the time when they become stammerers, you know they are lying.”
However, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, campaign spokesperson for Dr Bawumia, has fired back, questioning John Mahama’s motives.
In a post on his Facebook page, Dennis said, “You decided to campaign in Accra today, knowing very well Dr. Bawumia was campaigning in Accra yesterday.”
“Are you in Accra today to cover the campaign he did yesterday? Is that your thinking?” Aboagye asked.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye said “Very Petty, If your Manifesto is empty, it’s empty. No one needs to do anything to cover up. If it’s a serious manifesto, Ghanaians would discuss it even for years. Who takes a Manifesto that says it will make “night club” 24hours serious. Who? Who takes a Manifesto that says it will let people wake up to go queue at 2am for their passports serious? Who takes a Manifesto that says it will have 3 Chief Directors at a Ministry to run 3shifts serious?
“When you announced to launch your manifesto a week after we launch ours? Was it your thinking to do that to cover ours? You have been an opposition leader for 8years, been elected for over a year and half before Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was elected. Yet you waited for him to announce the date for his Manifesto launch and then immediately, you announce to hold yours exactly 6days after his launch. Was it your idea to cover his launch.
“Of course we knew it was to copy his Manifesto but now we know the second strategy was to cover his manifesto launch. You decided to campaign in Accra today, knowing very well Dr. Bawumia was campaigning in Accra yesterday. Are you in Accra today to cover his campaign he did yesterday? Is that your thinking?
“Instead of using the time you have to explain your dead ideas, you are here wailing about something of no substance. Let’s Stop being petty and get serious.”
This development is not surprising, given the history between the two politicians.
Former President John Mahama has been critical of Dr Bawumia’s economic policies, while Dr Bawumia has accused Mahama of lacking vision for Ghana’s development.
-BY Daniel Bampoe