Mahama’s ‘Akyem Mafia’ rhetoric is shameful - Ex-NDC executive

Former President John Mahama’s recent disparagement of Akyems through his description of the Akufo-Addo government as an “Akyem Mafia Cabal” is distasteful and totally unbecoming of someone who wants to become President of Ghana.

This is according to Stephen Ashitey Adjei, a former executive of the Tema East constituency branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“This is a clear case of ethnocentric disrespect that we must not countenance in Ghana; because in this country, no tribe is better than another tribe, nor is there a superior ethnic group,” Ashitey Adjei, who is popularly called Moshake, said.

According to him, “Mr. John Mahama’s reference to the Akufo-Addo government as an Akyem Mafia Cabal is shameful ethnocentrism.”

The former president recently shocked the world when he made the ethnocentric and condescending remark in a meeting with the UK/Ireland branch of the NDC.

According to him, the 2024 elections will not be a political battle between the NDC and NPP but Ghana’s struggle to free itself from the clutches of the so-called Akyem MAFIA.

“2024, 7th December is a very crucial date for all of us; it’s a crucial date for our nation, it’s a crucial date for our children and our children’s children; it’s a crucial date for Ghana’s future. I say that this election, is not your usual election. From 1992, its NDC, NPP.

"This election is different; this election is not between NDC and NPP; it is between Ghana and the Akyem cabal and their associates. It is Ghana versus the Akyem cabal and their associates. In fact, there are some who are not Akyems but they are associated with the family and so it is between Ghana and the Akyem cabal,” John Mahama said.

The shocking comment has since angered many Ghanaians who have pointed out that the former president hit below the belt and said something that even a foot soldier should not say.

According to Moshake, the statement shows the extent to which the former president has become irresponsible in his utterances.

“My simple question is, if his tribe, Gonja, were to come under the disparaging remark, 'Gonja Mafia' would he be happy?

"And for someone who wants to rule over all of Ghana, including the Akyems, is this rhetoric not divisive and scandalous?”

Moshake demanded that John Dramani Mahama apologize to Akyems for the rhetoric, urging his party, the NDC, to sanction him if he does not.

“I have always said that our imperfect human nature frequently impels us to do and say things at the wrong time including insulting Ghanaians with a dead goat comment in an election year, but Mr. John Mahama is doing it beyond reasonable definition of what is appropriate.

"Even Dr Kwabena Duffuor, a former Finance Minister and Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, NDC running mate, who do not have election culture, will never walk in John Mahama’s mistakes and I can never qualify Mahama as a wise politician,” Moshake stated.