The Member of Parliament for Yendi, Baba Iddrissu, is accusing the flag-bearer of the opposition NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo of orchestrating the High Court’s ruling that acquitted and discharged 15 persons accused of killing Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II.
He said a few days before the court’s decision, Nana Addo had promised the Abudus, one of the factions in the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute, that he will secure the release of the 15 persons.
“[The court’s decision] was influenced by people like Akufo-Addo and co,” Mr Iddrisu told Citi FM.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that it was a serious allegation he was leveling against the NPP presidential aspirant, the MP retorted, “I don’t fear Akufo-Addo, I am not afraid of Akufo-Addo. I said he went to Yendi and told them that he will come back to Accra and get the guys released. I am saying it and I am a Member of Parliament, let him challenge me. I am not afraid of him, I am not afraid of him, I respect him as an astute politicians, but I don’t buy his status.”
He intimated that he himself was in Yendi when Nana Addo visited the area, adding that the latter was advised by the security not to go beyond a community centre, but because he is a proponent of the “all-die-be-die” catchphrase, Nana Addo ignored it and went further to visit the Bolin-Lana’s palace, where he made that promise.
The MP wondered that if Nana Addo had no influence in Justice Ayebi’s ruling, then “how did he get to know that the people will be released?” He also questioned how their release coincided with the birthday of Nana Addo.
The MP suspect that Nana Addo’s visit to the Bolin-Lana was to spark some sort of confusion in Yendi, alleging that the place “happens to be his (Nana’s) base for violence and crime”.
But, Mr Boakye Agyarko, the campaign manager of Nana Addo, has rubbished Mr Iddrisu’s assertion and expressed shock at the “ranting” of the legislator.
He said Nana Addo was in Yendi to meet with the party’s parliamentary aspirants to educate them on the rules and regulations in the upcoming NPP primaries.
“Let me emphasize, at no point did Nana Addo talk about the people who have unfortunately [been] arrested, Baba is proving himself to be a pathological liar beyond redemption.”
“How did we know that they would be released? Everybody who was following the trial knew that the government has presented an irredeemably bad case; that it ought to be shameful for a prosecutor to stand in court and present that kind of case,” he stated.
Mr Agyarko said the issue about the murder of Ya-Na was delicate and should, therefore, not be politicized.
“So I beg Baba and the NDC, they shouldn’t play politics with such a painful episode in the life of Dagbon, and come on radio to talk as if they have lost their heads or talk about things that are not true.”
Meanwhile a group calling itself the Northern Youth for Justice, say the victims have been denied justice by the trial judge, Justice E.K. Ayebi.
The group therefore staged a demonstration in Accra on Monday where they presented their petition to the Attorney General, Speaker of Parliament and the Chief justice.
Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com
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