Contrary to claims by President John Dramani Mahama that the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is divisive, despotic, and dangerous political figure in Ghana, the opposition leader is a peace broker, George Ayisi Boateng, a leading member of the NPP has said.

He explained that Nana Akufo-Addo, presidential nominee of the NPP, had been involved in conflict resolution and contributed to restoring peace in countries including Liberia and the Ivory Coast during the years of civil war in those countries when he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and thus could not be a despot.

Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Friday August 26, Mr Ayisi Boateng said: “Nana Akufo-Addo is a peace broker. He played a vital role in helping restore peace to Ivory Coast, Liberia and other countries. … He has been a freedom fighter for this country; he has been a fighter for rule of law in this country.”

On Thursday, 25 August, the acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, held a press conference to react to the attacks President Mahama hurled at Mr Akufo-Addo.

During the press conference, he said: “Insults will not create jobs or fix the economy Mr President. Since officially launching [its] campaign in Cape Coast recently, the National Democratic Congress, led by President John Dramani Mahama, has made it clear how they intend to wage their campaign. After eight straight years in office and seeking to extend it to 12 years if elected this December…the NDC intends to once again prosecute a campaign of lies and insults against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.”

“The attacks, much to our bemusement, are being led by the commander-in-chief himself, our president. It is said that if you want to know the true colour of a person, see how he behaves when under pressure. …President Mahama is now showing his true colours. Rather than addressing the myriad problems the country is facing, he has reduced his bid for re-election to manifesto of lies and insults against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“The president is talking as if he is possessed. He is using words as if he is seeing things [in duplicate]. First, he insults Nana Addo for daring to re-echo the cries of the Western Region over the bad state of their roads, then he dares accuse Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, [who is] one of the foremost champions in the struggle against military dictatorship and for democracy and freedoms, as a dictator.”

But a Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Koku Anyidoho defended Mr Mahama saying President Mahama is possessed by the truth as far as his comments about the “divisiveness” and “dictatorial tendencies” of the flag bearer of the NPP are concerned.

“…If you are possessed by the truth, and the truth is coming to you as a vision from so many angles, what is wrong with it? There is nothing wrong with it. So the president is possessed with the truth. If I wake up in the morning and I’m possessed with the truth and I’m not possessed with divisive tendencies, I’m not possessed with divisive tyranny, I’m not possessed with the spirit of dictatorship, but I’m possessed with the spirit of truth and I speak the truth, what’s wrong with it?” Mr Anyidoho asked Emefa Apawu on Class91.3FM’s 505 news programme on Thursday, 25 August.