Danquah Institute censored Kufuor's speech - Tain MP

Former President Kufuor

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tain, Ahmed Ibrahim claims the Danquah Institute censored the speech delivered by Former President John Kufuor at the 2nd Liberty Lecture which was under the auspices of the policy think-tank.

He maintained that the former president's description of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag-bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo as the best among all the presidential candidates for the December 7 general elections was just “damage control”.

The former president in his address at the Liberty Lecture in Accra Thursday, said “I have no doubt the NPP flag-bearer is the most rounded and experienced on the field and has tried and tested team of would-be ministers...Most of them I worked with in government and I can vouch for them”.

Ahmed Ibrahim is one of many critics offended by Mr. Kufuor's guarantee of the candidature of the NPP flag-bearer for the country's high office.

The Progressive People's Party (PPP) in a statement said the ex-president Kufuor's was playing propaganda to deceive the electorates to vote for the NPP.

Speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen programme Friday, Ahmed Ibrahim said ex-president Kufuor should not be faulted since according to him, his [Kufuor] speech was drafted by the Danquah Institute; organizers of the lecture.

He alleged that Mr. Kufuor was under duress from the policy think-tank to hype Nana Addo to increase his chances of winning the elections.

The Tain MP noted that the propaganda stunt by the NPP and the Danquah Institute cannot convince Ghanaians that Mr. Kufuor supports Nana Addo instead of his favourite candidate, Alan Kyeremanten.

Hon Ibrahim claimed, strangely though, that former President Kufuor supported then candidate John Mills in the 2008 elections because of his (Mills) peaceful and modest nature and thus he believes Mr. Kufuor will not vouch for a 'warlike' candidate like Nana Akufo-Addo.

Ahmed Ibrahim said former president Kufuor must remain a statesman than a propagandist.

In a quick rebuttal, a Deputy Director of Communications of the NPP, Samuel Awuku debunked the assertions of the Tain MP.

He said Ahmed Ibrahim's claim that Danquah Institute drafted the former president's speech is an insult to his [Kufuor's] person.

Sammy Awuku added that the NPP will not be distracted by the needless propaganda of the ruling party.