#Number12: Kwesi Nyantakyi Had Presidential Ambition – Nii Lante Vanderpuye Reveals

Former Youth and Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has revealed that former Ghana Football Association president, Kwesi Nyantakyi had an ambition of becoming the president of Ghana.

Mr Nyantakyi has made the headlines for the bad reasons for the past week after the airing of Anas Aremeyaw Anas video dubbed "Number 12".

The astute lawyer and banker was filmed outlining to agents of Anas’ TigerEyePI who posed as investors the key government officials to bribe and also the steps to take to get a stranglehold on key projects in the country, as well as suggesting a dummy financial agency that would broker a sponsorship deal for the Ghana Premier League.

Despite the brouhaha, the Member of Parliament for the people of Odododiodio constituency has made a stunning revelation that he wasn't surprised with the things Mr Nyantakyi uttered in the documentary insisting he has been informed that he had a presidential ambition.

“I was not surprised with what Kwesi Nyantakyi said in the video because I knew what was going on at the Ghana Football Association,” he told Angel TV.

“If we should have won the 2016 elections, we would have taken a radical action against the GFA.

“People thought I had issues with the FA president but that was not the situation. There was rot at the FA and anytime you want to talk about it, the FA people makes it political.

“Kwesi Nyantakyi had friends in the NDC party and he is doing the same thing now. If he [Kwesi Nyantakyi] says they will take over the country I was not surprised because he knew what he was saying.

“In fact, I have been reliably informed that he had presidential ambitions,” he added.

However, Mr Nyantakyi has been handed 90 days provisional ban by FIFA.

This is a decision by an independent Ethics Committee of FIFA and comes after the showing of video and audio evidence of allegations of corruption leveled against Mr Nyantakyi.

A statement from FIFA on Friday said:
The chairperson of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee has provisionally banned the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and FIFA Council member, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, for a duration of 90 days. The duration of the ban may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days. During this time, Mr Nyantakyi is banned from all football activities at both national and international level (administrative, sports or any other). The ban comes into force immediately.

The decision was taken upon the request of the chairperson of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee carrying out the formal investigation proceedings into Mr Nyantakyi, pursuant to art. 83 par. 1 and art. 84 par. 2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.