Race for Castle:

Aliu Mahama, Akufo Addo supporters in mudslinging

THE RACE FOR the NPP flagbearership slot continues to get hotter as supporters and campaign enthusiasts of the two leading aspirants, Alhaji Aliu Mahama and Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, have begun slugging it out over the presidential race, with strong derogatory remarks against each other.

Some of the supporters of the two aspirants engaged in this verbal political clash claim they are members of the Friends of Aliu Mahama (FOAM.) and Friends of Nana Addo (FONA).

Though yet to get into the public domain, the battle has started in earnest on the Internet, with fierce e-mail exchanges between the two groups seeking to undermine each other's aspirant.

In a recent strongly-worded message sent to FONA and copied to this paper, the Friends of Aliu Mahama (FOAM) alleged that Nana Akufo Addo and FONA have been orchestrating and sponsoring attacks on other aspirants, especially the Veep on the Ghanaian website, Ghanaweb, with a serious and almost defamatory allegation that Akufo Addo's over zealousness to become a president is because he wants to continue his “father's loot” and that this would eventually be the undoing of the NPP.

The Veep's supporters claimed that Akufo Addo concluded on Ghanaweb that the Vice President could become the next president of Ghana but for some questionable business connections with some members of the Nigerian Government, which has discredited his campaign; a claim credible sources within FONA told this paper were untrue.

“Be assured that you would never be President of Ghana. It is not destined to happen. Amaadi Cold Stores, Beyeeman Cold Stores, Ring Road Hotel and others should be enough for you. You can go for bank loans as usual and campaign as you did in 1998 but the delegates would not choose a hypocrite like you to rule Ghana” an e-mail from someone who described himself as a supporter of the Veep noted in a recent e-mail copied to FONA.

“Ahunu Honger, Jerry Oppey and other martyrs of Kume Preko would all pray against you. Would you remember May 11th this year? You cannot even organise the Passport Office and you think you can organise Ghana. Your tenure at (the) Attorney General's office was the most disastrous in Ghana history…” the charges continued.

The supporters minced no words when they accused the Foreign Affairs Minister of being behind the campaign to destroy Dr. Richard Anane, the resigned Minister of Roads and Transport, among other things.

“…. We the friends of Aliu Mahama (FOAM) are ready for you (the Veep doesn't know our existence for now) and your FONA-sponsored media attacks. We shall always respond in kind. You are not fit to rule Ghana any day Mr.66-year-old youth,” the damning e-mail churned out.

But in a quick response to this e-mail, another e-mail sent in response to this attack levelled other equally serious charges against the Veep, while describing the attack on Nana Addo as that of desperadoes.

Significantly, sources close to the Vice President said they were unaware of the existence of FOAM, while officials of FONA, which has since been disbanded, were dismissive of the allegations against them.

Contacted, Mr. Victor Newman strongly denied the allegations against FONA, indicating that they were pre-occupied with so many important issues and do not waste time on planting stories in any media.

Buttressing his points, he showed the Concord round the various offices at the operational headquarters of FONA and explained the various functions of those offices.

“Look we don't have time for such things; we're occupied with very important matters. …We do not care about the existence or the non-existence of other people and we