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05.04.2011 Ivory Coast

Gbagbo runs to Ghana?

By The Statesman
Gbagbo runs to Ghana?
05.04.2011 LISTEN

News making the rounds within diplomatic circles over the weekend suggested that former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, had sneaked into neighbouring Ghana, where he intends to seek asylum.

 
While Ghana Government officials were on Friday denying that any such asylum request had come to it, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Mumuni went on to state that “President Mills will consider very well,” any asylum request from his good friend Prof Gbagbo.

 
First to arrive was his second wife, Nadiana Bamba, and their child. Nadi is also the publisher of Le Temps newspaper. She initially checked in at the Labadi Beach Hotel, but was at the weekend sighted around the Cantonments area.

 
Witnesses around East Legon also reported seeing Simone Gbagbo, the First Lady. Both wives were among 19 Ivorians that the European Union slapped visa ban on in December last year after the disputed elections.

 
Several security movements in and around Trassaco Valley, where the former Ivorian leader owns a plush mansion, support the claim.

 
President JEA Mills is among three African leaders that Prof Gbagbo is said to have considered their alleged offers to grant him asylum.

 
The other two are Jacob Zuma of South Africa and  José Eduardo dos Santos of Angola. But, with a flying ban in la Cote d'Ivoire, both eastern and northern borders inaccessible to him, the besieged Gbagbo had no choice but to turn to his “brother”, Mills.

 
The New Patriotic Party on Friday said it had credible information that the Gbagbo had approached Ghana for asylum.

 
Speaking to Citi FM, the Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea, said, “This is a very good chance for us to make a difference to the Ivorian situation, we are his nearest neighbours and my understanding is that he is very keen to come to Ghana on asylum and we should quickly organize it for him”. He added.

 
In response, Alhaji Mumuni said, “I can tell you on authority that there has not been anything of that sort. There has been nothing like President Gbagbo has written to President Mills to request for political asylum”.

He, however, added, “Of course as we know President Mills and his sense of compassion and he being a unifier, I have no doubt that if President Gbagbo finds it fit to make such a request President Mills will consider it very well.”

 
Aide to former President JJ Rawlings and Deputy General secretary of the ruling NDC has, however, cautioned his party against granting Gbagbo asylum status in Ghana.

 
Speaking on Joy FM, Kofi Adams said such a decision would only give credibility to allegations that President Mills was always supporting Gbagbo.

 
Some analysts have also described the prospect of Gbagbo seeking asylum in Ghana as not desirable because of the country's close proximity to la Cote d'Ivoire.  Nii Alarbi, a commentator on Francophone African affairs, has recommended that President Mills turns down any request and to get Gbagbo to go as far away as Angola or South Africa.

 
But, sources close to the Castle say that Prof Mills owes Prof Gbagbo a lot for the support he allegedly got from the then Ivorian President in 2007/2008.

 
The NDC is said to have even contributed to Gbagbo's elections, at least, through the involvement of Captain (rtd) Kojo Tsikata and Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State.

 
Last month, the New Statesman published that President Mills, together with six other African leaders, were supporting Laurent Gbagbo in his bid to stay in office as President of Ivory Coast.

 
In a recent interview published by the Daily Fraternité Matin, a day before  the last crucial Africa Union meeting which discussed the Ivorian crisis, Laurent Gbagbo's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alcide Djédjé named as seven, countries he described as "allies" to the cause of Laurent Gbagbo. ??According to the Foreign Minister, these allies "include Angola, Uganda, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, and Ghana". ??

 
He explained, "There are some who do not manifest themselves openly, but still support us".

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