Prove corruption against Mahama men – Tony Aidoo to Rawlings

• Posted on September 19, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Veteran politician and former Ghana’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Dr Tony Aidoo has asked former President Jerry John Rawlings to provide factual evidence to support the allegations of corruption leveled against some officials under the Mahama administration.

Mr Rawlings is reported to have said that former officials under the Mahama administration were corrupt and amassed wealth. According to him, “…the kind of greed, selfishness…” was what caused the defeat of the National Democratic Congress in the 2016 general election. But Mr Aidoo in response to the allegations said anything short of evidence would mean the former president was playing mischief. “I am saying that he has an obligation as the founder of the NDC party and chairman of the council of elders, to support the allegations with factual evidence. If he doesn’t it is really mischief”.

Dr. Tony Aidoo made the call Sunday in a pre-recorded interview with 3FM which was played on the station’s morning show, Sunrise, hosted by Winston Amoah. Last Friday, Mr. Rawlings in clarifying an earlier his statement suggesting it will be impossible for the NDC to win back power, said he would rather wish that the NDC wins the next general elections in 2020 but questioned the readiness of the party. “Let me simply say that I will very much want to see the NPP beaten but do we have what it takes? Do we have the capacity to be able to wrestle power from them?” he questioned. The former president was widely reported last Friday to have said the NPP would win the 2020 elections if it is able to sustain its performance within the next four years. Clarifying his position on the matter on TV3 last Friday night, the former president explained that for the NDC to regain power there are a lot of issues it must address, indicating that the party as it stands, has lost the moral high ground. “The most important factor I believe has to do with the issue of the cleanup that needs to be done; the restoration of our integrity. We don’t like to hear it but I keep repeating it. We have to go back, seek a moral high ground,” he advised.

Responding to the concerns, Dr. Tony Aidoo the behaviour of Mr. Rawlings was understandable to some extent considering the fact that he nurtured the NDC, hence if he feels the principles of the party are being flouted, he has a point to react. However, he was of the view that Mr. Rawlings should approach the party hierarchy to have his concerns addressed and not wash the dirty linens in public, as he has been doing. Asked about the likely candidate to lead the party into the 2020 elections, Dr. Aidoo declined to mention names, saying he has no opinion on the matter. “Everybody in the NDC deserves the chance to contest. If the delegates decide he (Mahama) should contest, so be it. I have no opinion on this. I don’t know what is contained in the Kwesi Botway report. I don’t know the facts that were found. I don’t know what recommendations were made. It will be premature to answer this question,” he said.

By Gideon Anaba