Attempt by aide to John Dramani Mahama, describing the former president as incorruptible is “laughable”, the governing New Patriotic Party has said, calling it the “biggest joke”.

Listing a litany of corruption allegations which came up under the leadership of Mr. Mahama, the party said even the marines cannot be told that the former president is not corrupt.

The NPP was responding to what it said was an “unprovoked” attack on President Nana Akufo-Addo by his predecessor. The statement was signed by the Acting General Secretary of the NPP John Boadu, on Tuesday.

The party said the claim “about Mahama, rather than Akufo-Addo, being incorruptible, we find this as perhaps, the biggest joke of the century that will see every Ghanaian laughing.

“Need we remind them of how synonymous the name, John Mahama had become with corruption? Need we remind them that John Mahama superintended over the worst corrupt regime in the history of this country, where on daily basis, Ghanaians were greeted with one form of corruption scandal or another?”

Eats and drinks corruption

The NPP felt the position of Mr. Mahama’s aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, on corruption, only sought to “ridicule former President Mahama”.

The statement therefore questioned, “How can somebody who eats and drinks corruption be said to be incorruptible? Certainly, this, cannot even be told the marines.”.

The party’s statement said President Akufo-Addo has, all his life, both in private and in public service, never been accused or alleged to have been involved in any act of corruption.

“He is by far, the only politician in our recent history to have boldly said that, ‘I, Nana Akufo-Addo, am not corrupt; I have never been corrupt and I shall demand same of all my appointees’.”

Diversion of $13 million

Commenting further, the NPP asked former President Mahama to respond to a petition filed by some four citizens at the Office of the Special Prosecutor that he should be investigated for an alleged diversion of $13 million meant for the development of the Western Region by the E.O Group as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

Bawah Mogtari is said to have claimed that the petition was another “orchestrated but failed attempt by the NPP government to divert attention from the numerous corruption scandals suffocating it” where she said “former President John Mahama, unlike President Nana Akufo-Addo, is incorruptible”.

“First of all, the party has absolutely no knowledge about the said petition nor has it instructed anyone to file same on its behalf. But, as a party that believes in good governance and holds unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption, we would, on any day, encourage citizens to, in exercise of their civic rights, report cases of wrongdoing and alleged corruption to the appropriate statutory bodies for proper investigations. This is what President Akufo-Addo and the NPP have always stood for and we have no apologies,” the NPP clarified.