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Opinions of Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Columnist: The Ghanaian Lens

Beware! Mahama can calmly walk away from it all

President John Dramani Mahama is certainly not a quitter, and he is definitely not about to resign from office; and would not lose a nights sleep if those pushing the NDC into opposition succeed in their quest.

Why should President Mahama lose sleep when people deliberately work from within the party to ensure that the party loses the 2016 elections even before the whistle is blown for commencement of proceedings for that election?

Recent machinations, actions and utterances by some leading members of the NDC suggest they are desperate to push the party back into opposition. The direct attacks on the president and the casting of innuendos seem to be targeted at opening President Mahama up for the opposition to exploit.

But why should the NDC work against its own interest? And who will be the losers?

The reality is that, as an ex-president, John Mahama is immune from prosecution. He is protected by the 1992 Constitution from all forms of criminal prosecution when he leaves office, unless he personally does anything that offends the constitution.

His protection under the Constitution cannot be varied to his disadvantage, even when he is out of office. He will not be invited to answer questions at the Economic Crime Office (EOCO), the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) nor the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

On the other hand, those holding appointed offices under President Mahama could be subjected to horrifying persecution under an NPP government as we witnessed between 2001 and 2008.

This political persecution would not necessarily be because the victims have committed any crime; it would simply fit into the vindictive agenda of the NPP who would have benefited from the self-inflicted in-fighting by the NDC.

The records are there to show: just as Tsatsu Tsikata was hounded and persecuted for seven years and eventually jailed, those conspiring to push NDC back into opposition would simply be preparing the charge sheets for another round of nightmare in the hands of the NPP.

For all these, it may not be because they have committed any crime; but, just as suffered by the Sipa Yankeys, Ibrahim Adams and Kwame Peprah’s of this world, the modern-day conspirators in the NDC would be preparing themselves for another round of harrowing experience under a default NPP administration.

In all these, President John Mahama will walk free and breathe fresh air.