{"id":592519,"date":"2019-02-19T21:24:47","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T21:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"
\n

There is strong advocacy for former President John Mahama to submit any evidence he has on government\u2019s complicity in the violence that marred the "},"modified":"2019-02-19T21:24:47","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T21:24:47","slug":"mahama-urged-to-submit-his-evidence-to-emile-short-commission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2019\/02\/19\/mahama-urged-to-submit-his-evidence-to-emile-short-commission\/","title":{"rendered":"Mahama urged to submit his evidence to Emile Short Commission"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

There is strong advocacy for former President John Mahama to submit any evidence he has on government\u2019s complicity in the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election to the Emile Short Commission.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sulemana Braimah, the Executive Director of\u00a0Media Foundation for West Africa said\u00a0helping the ongoing hearing by the Emile Short Commission with factual evidence is key to the outcome of their work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis [evidence] is incredibly important for the Commission\u2019s work. let it be submitted and be proven that indeed these cars belong to the New Patriotic Party candidate,\u201d he told Samson Lardy Anyenini on Joy FM\/MultiTV\u2019s Newsfile programme.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Braimah believes the botched security operation at the house of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate on election day\u00a0was a purely political one.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

His comments follow a meeting Mr Mahama meeting had with diplomats during the week. In that meeting, the former president showed videos and photos accusing government of sponsoring thugs to visit mayhem on the opposition.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Mahama who wants the incident to capture international attention insisted that those involved were connected to the eventual winner Lydia Seyram Alhassan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf they were neutral participants what would they be doing escorting one parliamentary candidate and then attacking the house of another and discharging weapons and injuring people?\u201d he\u00a0<\/span>questioned.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Related:\u00a0Mahama shows diplomats Ayawaso violence photos, videos<\/p>\n

According to him, it is a clear manifestation that \u201cthis was a partisan deployment and as they themselves said, \u2018this is a dress rehearsal for the 2020\u00a0election.\u201d<\/p>\n

This move by Mr Mahama was criticised by the Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo who described the action as \u201cunpatriotic and shameful.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

He argued that the former president should\u00a0show his so-called evidence to Ghanaian professionals, businessmen or those in academia, instead of\u00a0washing\u00a0the country\u2019s dirty linens before diplomats.<\/p>\n

Related:\u00a0Osafo-Maafo blasts Mahama for \u2018painting Ghana black\u2019 to diplomats<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But Vice President of IMANI Ghana, Kofi Bentil disagrees with the Senior Minister saying he should be minded as someone in government and being motivated to get to the bottom of the issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u00a0wants Mr Mahama to submit his <\/span>video evidence<\/span><\/span> to the Emile Short Commission to verify his claims.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat evidence that former president Mahama has is material and I would expect him whatever he wants to do with it to properly submit it for investigations,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to him, this is necessary to the growth of the country\u2019s democracy stating it is wrong for politicians to do certain things because they think they are in power and can do as they wish. <\/span><\/p>\n

He, however, noted that it will be problematic if the former president has not presented his evidence to the relevant authorities, urging the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to lodge a\u00a0<\/span>formal<\/span><\/span> complaint with the police if it has not.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide has contradicted former president Mahama\u2019s claim.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to him, Madam Alhassan was never given any such protection by any person or group. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, I was with the candidate then, all through the election day, and she actually was in my vehicle. We visited at least 21 polling stations and so ordinary Ghanaians know that she visited the stations unaccompanied,\u201d he told Joy News.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Hadzide said she was interviewed at some of the centres she visited challenging journalist on the grounds to provide such evidence. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey should come out and contradict Mr Mahama by telling the truth and expose him for peddling a falsehood,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n