Former President J.J Rawlings has waded into the seeming controversy between the Manhyia palace and the office of former President John Mahama over the Asantehene’s role in the aftermath of the 2016 elections calling for calm.
Former Chief of Staff Julius has pushed back on claims by the Otumfuo that his persuasion made Mr. Mahama concede defeat to then candidate Akufo-Addo after the 2016 polls.
“I state without equivocation that the decision to concede and congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo even before the official results were declared was taken by President Mahama himself without any persuasion from any quarter,” Mr. Debrah said a statement
The Asantehene had claimed in an address abroad that his palace had to convince the former President to handover power after the polls that saw him losing with over one million votes to now President Akufo-Addo.
“At the conclusion of the last presidential and parliamentary elections, the country [Ghana] stood on the edge of disaster. The UN representatives and the diplomatic community were aghast, alarmed that Ghana was going to slip down the slope of electoral violence.
“Fortunately, the moral authority of the palace was at hand. We were able to intervene to persuade the losing candidate to accept his fate and fly both candidates for a quiet encounter to pave the way for a handover,” said the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II claimed.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Rawlings wrote on tweeter: “The Asantehene has made us proud with a highly educative address to the UN on the subject of peace. Comments by former President Mahama on an aspect of the address shouldn’t elicit or provoke edict sounding threats. It is unwarranted and unnecessary.”
Source: Ghana|Starrfm.com.gh|103.5FM
