The embattled Montie FM afternoon political programme host Salifu Maase, popularly called Mugabe, says he is being ‘sanctioned’ because he is from the northern part of Ghana.
In what looks like a clear case of tribal bigotry, he said, “Because Mugabe is Tani (a person from the northern part of Ghana) and because Ntafuo are not human beings, he should be sacrificed, he should be silenced in Ghana so that we can leave them alone to do their work.”
His comments came at a time the Supreme Court was processing official summons for him to appear alongside two members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Team, Alistair Tairo Nelson, 41 and Godwin Ako Gunn, 39, as well as the owner of Montie FM – for contempt of court.
Mugabe stands accused for aiding the two NDC activists who threatened to kill the Supreme Court judges on a live radio programme called ‘Pampaso’ over issues involving the Electoral Commission (EC).
Defiant Mood
Just as the court was preparing the invitation on July 5, Mugabe was boasting on radio that he was not so special to go to jail because important personalities had been jailed before.
He mentioned former NDC ministers who were jailed for causing financial loss to the state during the erstwhile Kufuor administration, before inciting NDC supporters to rise up and defend the party.
“Nobody fears anything in this country. We only respect the law. When you go to Nsawam important personalities like Tsatsu Tsikata, Victor Selormey (RIP), Kwame Peprah, were all there. Are Alistair and Ako Gunn or Mugabe more important than them?”
Montie Scapegoat
He said, “Nobody at Montie has offended the law. They want to use someone from Montie as a scapegoat but they won’t succeed,” boasting, “I have said that if you fire a gun at me I’ll hit back ten times. If you fire ten I’ll fire 20. If you fire 20 I’ll fire 40. If they stop ruffling feathers the noise will also stop.”
Fighting For Mahama
Mugabe claimed the only reason he is in Ghana is to ‘fight’ for President Mahama, saying “I am in this country because of John Dramani Mahama.
“Sammy (referring to the stand-in host), you know my wife and kids are not in this country. I live in this country alone. I am living here because of the humility of President Mahama and I will continue to fight for him. If I will follow President Mahama and speak the truth and because of that I will go to jail in Nsawam, I will continue to speak the truth.”
Interestingly, President Mahama has unusually been silent since the assault on the justices of the Supreme Court by Mugabe and his fellow party activists who are all supporters of the president.
Inciting NDC
Mugabe said, “I am encouraging NDC followers to be fearless…I am asking NDC supporters to rise up because this is the time. We are tired of the threats. Some of us have gone beyond threats. I have been in radio broadcasting for over 16 years. I was in sports and saw it all.”
The Law
Mugabe claimed, “In this country nobody is above the law. Ghana is bigger than anyone in this country, whether you are a judge or the President or a lecturer. I want Ghanaians to understand that nobody wields more power than the entire country.
“Were we not in this country when someone said he had declared war? Did we not hear what he said that if you are an Ashanti and you meet a Ga kill him/her? Didn’t he also say if you are an Ashanti and you meet an Ewe kill him/her? At the Supreme Court don’t we have judges who are of Ewe or Ga or Ashanti origins?”
He also recalled the claim by the Supreme Court judges that they would not sit down for the EC to plunge the country into chaos.
He accused the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) of dereliction of its duties and wondered whether the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) did not see anything wrong with that statement.
Cemetery Analogy
He said that “At the Awudome Cemetery, everybody has six feet. We can’t have more than six feet for Supreme Court judges. There is equality over there. We don’t have special graves for a judge or minister and nobody dies and is buried in the air. Everybody, no matter your status, will be buried beneath the earth.”
According to Mugabe, the 1992 Constitution was being turned upside down because “there is a group of people who think that they cannot be criticized.”
He posited, “The president goes on ‘accounting to the people’ tour in the Ashanti Region and his convoy is pelted with stones but nobody saw anything wrong with that. The EC boss was stripped naked by an MP and nobody, including the judiciary, condemned it…the GBA, Peace Council, Catholic Bishops Conference, Christian Council, never issued a statement condemning what the MP said about the EC boss. They are condoning Kennedy Agyepong’s reckless statement. He is walking free!”
Equalization
He noted, “Sir John insulted a Supreme Court judge on radio, Sammy Awuku, Stephen Atubiga, Gabby Assumen, all spoke on radio. On all those radio stations that they spoke, which of the hosts was invited by the Supreme Court? I am waiting for the summons.
“Sometimes the NDC people appear to be sleeping. The time has come for them to wake up because we can’t live in this country for a particular political party to run amok and threaten everybody. We shall rise up and match them. When they hit two, we shall hit ten, twenty for forty.
“It is only judges we feel their security is paramount. They were taking pictures of the house I live in and the car I was driving. Is that also not a security threat?”
“He said Sefa Kayi of Peace FM and Kweku Baako, all use Land Cruisers but it is no news for Ghanaians; but because Mugabe is Tani Land Cruiser does not befit him.”
By William Yaw Owusu