I’m ready for Rawlings’ shrine challenge - Henry Lartey

Disqualified Presidential candidate of the GCPP Dr. Henry Lartey says he has accepted the shrine challenge thrown at him by former President Jerry Rawlings.

He said is ready to swear by the gods as requested by the former President, if that will get him come clean on the five million dollar gift he received from the late Nigerian President Sani Abacha.

Dr. Hubert Lartey, petitioned the EOCO and CHRAJ to investigate the former President who has confessed to receiving $2 million from the former Nigerian head of state.

Mr. Rawlings had maintained a tight-lip on the donation said to be part of Mr Abacha's loot.

However, during an interview with the Guardian Newspaper in Nigeria recently, ex-President Rawlings admitted that he received the money from Sani Abacha in 1998, but denied that the amount was $5 million as some have alleged.

He has accused the NDC of sponsoring the allegations against him.

“About three days before his drama, I got information that he was going to be financially rewarded for what he did and incidentally he was instigated not by people in the opposition.

“Why are people worried about the level of integrity we’ve tried to maintain? We say we are Christians; we swear on the Bible, Muslims on the Qu’ran; I’d like to invite people like him (Lartey) that we go traditional as well. That we invite the white man’s technology (lie detector) to also come and verify the truthfulness, the integrity of my word. And for him to be simply asked who paid him to do what he did?” Flt Lt Rawlings said.

But in response, the GCPP leader told the Media Tuesday he is ready and willing to swear by the gods if Mr. Rawlings is ready.

“He should come and tell me who gave me that money and how much I took. Although the old man (his father) left us without a lot of cash on his hands, he left us a lot of asset. The House I leave in is worth 100 million dollars, who can pay me to disgrace his name?

“I have never discussed him with anybody in the NDC. The fact that you are former president does not mean you do anything you like and when you like it. I’ m ready for him”.