Anthony Karbo Explains Dr. Bawumia’s AfDB Appointment

Former National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Anthony Abayifaa Karbo has explained the circumstances surrounding Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s appointment to head an office of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Uganda.

The NPP Running mate’s appointment was made last month and intended to take effect from April 1, 2013.

Dr. Bawumia, according to a policy by the AfDB, is said to have taken a special leave of absence to pursue his party’s objective in Ghana.

Some critics have raised eyebrows over the appointment, accusing him of betraying the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), especially in a period where the party’s leaders are contesting the legality of President John Mahama’s victory during the 2012 Presidential elections.

Anthony Karbo, speaking on Radio Gold Wednesday morning, expatiated that Dr. Bawumia did not resign from his post at the African Development Bank but took advantage of a policy provided by the bank to seek for a leave of absence.

The leave of absence, he said, gave him the opportunity to partner Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo -Addo, NPP 2012 Presidential candidate, in the general elections but upon identifying some irregularities in the elections wrote back to the bank for an extension of his leave.

According to Anthony Karbo, Dr. Bawumia’s request was heeded which explains why he is in court challenging the declaration by the Electoral Commission, which saw President Mahama emerge victor in last year’s elections.

He denied reports that he (Dr. Bawumia) tendered in a new application and also distributed his Curriculum Vitae (CV) to various companies internationally, seeking employment.

Dr. Bawumia, he said, rather “indicated to the African Development Bank to extend his leave, so he can pursue this inconclusive election of which I took long leave, a special leave, to come and participate…Because, I’m doing this not in my own interest but in the interest of the country and in the interest of our democracy. And also to establish that yes, indeed, there were irregularities, violations, which were statutory in this election that has material effect on the results.”

He continued that the appointment of the NPP 2012 Running mate to head the Ugandan office of the AFDB “is not a fresh application. As far as I know, it is not a fresh appointment. As far as I know, Dr. Bawumia still works with the African Development Bank who is on a special leave of absence and his own right, and a policy within the bank. And so, he is here to contest the elections in 2008, in 2012 and that election is inconclusive. And he’s currently assisting his party and assisting his flagbearer and playing a critical role as a star witness in this matter.”