-‘You are a reproach to your father’

Hassan Ayariga, Presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has launched a blistering attack on Dr. Sekou Nkrumah describing him as a dismissive character whose views must be ignored.

Mr. Ayariga insists that the third son of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is an embodiment of insolence, who is riding on the back of his late father’s legacy to end “cheap” favours.

“This gentleman (referring to Sekou) does not have the wherewithal to criticize me because he has lost credibility.

...Clearly Sekou is a confused man who is loitering about in the country and must not be taken serious because he does not know what he is about,” the PNC flag bearer reportedly said on Citi fm.

Mr. Hassan Ayariga has come under barrage of criticism following his performance at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Presidential Encounter earlier this week with some political watchers describing his performance as abysmal.

Other think-tank such as IMANI Ghana and the Ghana Trades Union Congress say he was completely bankrupt during the question time.

Dr. Sekou Nkrumah in a recent interview questioned Mr. Ayariga’s intelligence if offered the opportunity to man the affairs of the state in December, adding that the latter’s performance was “terrible and a disastrous performance.”

“Hassan Ayariga was a disaster (at the IEA), I was very happy when the party elected a young person; we need young people to represent us in presidential and parliamentary elections but youth is not enough; I think we need substance and that was clearly lacking in Hassan Ayariga’s presentation.

"I think his intellect seems to be weak, his performance during the questions and answers time was terrible; he is not fit to be president, it is a shame and disgraceful,” he is reported to have said.

In a sharp rebuttal however, Mr. Ariga told Citi fm’s Richard Sky that it is about time the media stopped reporting views and assertions made by Sekou.

As the PNC presidential candidate puffed and rage he added, "Sekou is a big disgrace to the society. What does Sekou Nkrumah have to offer? If you believe in one thing you do not run away from it when the going gets tough on the way.”

Further criticizing the son of Ghana’s first president, Hassan Ayariga contended that “the man said his own father is a madman. How can somebody call his father a madman and you want to put such a person in society and you want people to listen to such a person.

"Let’s get people who will incite others to be more mature than people who will drive people into the bush.”**