I Am Innocent –Vice President Declares

... As Plot To Unseat President Mills Thickens

The spokesperson for the vice president John Jinapor has denied the Daily Guide report that the vice president, John Dramani Mahama is courting ambitions of succeeding president John Mills.

“He Mr Mahama is very much committed to his work as a vice president that he has no time of considering such intentions”, Mr Jinapor was speaking to Emefa Apawu host of the big bite, show on XFM 95.1,an Accra based radio station.

Though the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not opened nominations yet, the Daily Guide reported in its Tuesday 31 August 2010 edition that the vice president John Dramani Mahama is nurturing such intentions. It said some supporters and members of the NDC were spotted wearing t-shirts that sought to promote the cause of Vice President John Mahama for the 2012 general elections. The paper further wrote that checks it’s conducted established that the green Lacoste T-shirts which bore a big picture of John Mahama, with the inscription “Great Success Winning NDC” were distributed by the Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

Though Mr Ampofo confirmed to Daily Guide he gave out the T-shirts to the party supporters, he said they were not meant to promote John Mahama’s presidential ambition, but to enable the people to campaign for the NDC to win the bye-elections.

He added that the T-shirts were leftovers of those printed and used in the 2008 elections when Mr Mahama was the running mate.

Mr Jinapor, who corroborated this assertion, said the Vice President will not contest the 2012 general election. He claimed Mr Mahama will rather support President John Mills should he declare his intentions of contesting the presidency in 2012. He expressed surprise at the publication and wondered why the paper failed to seek clarification from the Office of the Vice President. Mr John Jinapor said as long as President Mills continues to control affairs at the top level, Vice President John Mahama remains committed to him.

This is not the first time there have been speculation about who will contest Mills in 2012. First, it was a group from the Ashanti region, supporting former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings’ bid to contest. She has not denied or confirmed, but there seems to be strong indications she will.

Special Aide to former President Rawlings had described her as being more than qualified to lead the party in 2012, adding that there is no way she would lose”. Meanwhile, the Daily Guide also alleges that in spite of earlier declaration to seek re-election in 2012, President Mills will not contest after all. Rather, the paper said the Ahwoi brothers, led by Ato Ahwoi, who is seen as the head of the Mills’ “kitchen cabinet”, considering his closeness an influence on the president, are leaving nothing to chance as they are said to be working vigorously to get their younger brother, Kwesi Ahwoi, to be elected as the NDC’s presidential candidate in case President Mills does not run for the position or at least, to be running mate for John Mahama.

Robert Israel/ Abena Asiedua Tenkorang, Xfm 95.1, Accra, Ghana