Mahama’s motor ride a PR gimmick gone wrong – Irbard

A security expert, Irbard Ibrahim, has condemned President Mahama for taking the risk to go on a motor bike ride in the capital to assess the level of destruction caused by flood during Sunday’s rainstorm.

Irbard who suspects there was a political motive behind President John Dramani Mahama’s city motor tour to flood prone areas said such acts were needless looking at the security implication it could have caused the country if “something bad” had happened.

“There was laxity in what the President did”, he noted when interacting with sit-in host of Anopa Kasapa, Kwaku Owusu Adjei, on Kasapa 102.5 FM, Monday, on the subject matter.

In a video made available, President John Mahama was seen going for a ride on a very stylish motorbike during Sunday’s rainstorm in Accra.

Captured at the premises of what looks like his brother, Ibrahim Mahama’s residence, in and around the Kawukudi Junction in Accra, President Mahama was seen leaving the facility on the bike, and accompanied by a dispatch rider and one other person.

Government officials say the move was to enable the President have first hand information about the level of destruction caused by the flood.

A cross section of the public has condemned the act while others hailed the President.

However, in the view of Irbard Ibrahim, there was no other purpose for such a move rather than a political statement which he believes, has backfired.

“A machine could fail you at any given time. It rained yesterday and the roads have become slippery and so it was very dangerous to have embarked on that motor ride in the city to have first hand information about the flood situation in the capital.

“We are in the month of June. Same time last year, the President toured the city to have first hand information about the flood situation – what has really changed one year down the line?”

“So, fundamentally for the safety and security of the President, a move like this, I think it was meant to make a political statement but it has backfired. I believe it was a PR gimmick gone wrong.”

He told Owusu Adjei that whoever advised the President on such a tour gave him a bad counsel, noting “it exposed the President to unwanted security potential danger which is not necessary”.