Former Municipal Chief Executive for Tamale, Dr Muhammed Amin Anta, has, in a statement he issued and signed, said a secret audio tape that has gone viral on social media concerning a conversation he purportedly had about Nana Akufo-Addo, “is like mine and I might have made such statements in a private conversation.” Anta, however, denied claims that he was induced with $5,000 by the two-time presidential candidate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party, to throw his support behind him in the flagbearership race.

On the said tape, which Anta, described as “mischievous”, the once staunch supporter of Akufo-Addo’s archrival (Alan Kyerematen), is heard saying the former Attorney General, who is seeking to lead the party into a third consecutive national elections, “surprised me with US$5,000, offered me three positions to choose from and that I was following the crowd and would therefore not openly campaign for him”.

The audio tape started circulating days after Anta declared support for Akufo-Addo against former Minister of Trade and Industries, Alan Kyerematen, whom he supported in previous races.

Former General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Ohene Ntow, who is the Spokesperson for Kyerematen’s campaign team, on Tuesday told Radio XYZ that he had evidence to prove that Anta’s support for Akufo-Addo was induced by the former foreign Affairs Minister.

This is Anta’s response to that particular allegation:

“I would like to put on record however that Nana Addo did not offer me money to induce me to support his candidature. As I am supposed to have said on the tape, I did not need the said money because I am well paid. I have told many people how generous Nana Addo is, by citing how he offered me money for an energy programme my team worked on at his request, and when I refused he said it was from his heart. He insisted if I did not need it, my team members would. This happened before the Supreme Court Petition; and could not have been related to the current contest in the party”.

Below is the full statement from Mohammed Amin Anta

My attention has been drawn to a tape recording on which I was engaged in conversations with another person in relation to the internal politics of the NPP.

On the said tape, I am heard saying that Nana Addo surprised me with US$5,000, offered me three positions to choose from and that I was following the crowd and would therefore not openly campaign for him.

I have listened to the tape carefully and concluded that the voice is like mine and I might have made such statements in a private conversation.

I would like to put on record however that Nana Addo did not offer me money to induce me to support his candidature. As I am supposed to have said on the tape, I did not need the said money because I am well paid. I have told many people how generous Nana Addo is, by citing how he offered me money for an energy program my team worked on at his request, and when I refused he said it was from his heart. He insisted if I did not need it, my team members would. This happened before the Supreme Court Petition; and could not have been related to the current contest in the party.

Also, everybody in the NPP knows that I did not support Nana Addo in previous internal elections and I did believe that the party needed to do more work for him to win the general elections including the 2016 elections.

However, I have studied and worked with Nana Addo closely for some time now and came to the realisation that he is the right person to lead the NPP. Therefore contrary to the content of the tape that I would not campaign openly for him, I recently declared my support to him openly in Tamale and in addition toured more than 10 constituencies in Dagbon to campaign openly for him with my own resources.

I am therefore surprised that the said tape is being used to doubt my credibility and support for Nana Addo.

I would like to state that my support for Nana Akufo Addo is unconditional; and I will continue to work with him to ensure victory for him.

Signed

Mohammed Amin Anta