Outspoken media personality, Okatakyie Afrifa has shared what he claims are some of the reasons why President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo did not show up at Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s “New Chapter” lecture that was held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
According to Afrifa, Akufo-Addo is displeased about the prospect of relinquishing control over the New Patriotic Party (NPP). This dissatisfaction, he said, stems from Akufo-Addo’s long-standing leadership since 2008, when he assumed the role of the party’s flagbearer.
In an interview with One Ghana TV, sighted by GhanaWeb, Okatakyie Afrifa asserted that Akufo-Addo did not attend NPP flagbearer Bawumia’s lecture because he had not mentally prepared himself to hand over power as the leader of the country.
“He is not too happy with Bawumia. Even in the NPP presidential primaries that were held, Akufo-Addo didn’t want it to take place because he had not psyched himself to hand over power as the leader of the party [NPP] and the country.
“Since 2008, he has had power over the NPP and all of a sudden he is losing the grip in his hands, so, he is not happy. He was furious when some NPP MPs wanted to partner Dr. Bawumia during the elections. It is not a matter of selling Bawumia but the power he [Akufo-Addo] is losing is a problem for him.”
Akufo-Addo and some known members of the party were absent during Bawumia’s first major speech as flagbearer.
The event was held in Accra on February 7, 2024. During his speech, Bawumia claimed that his role in the government is just like that of a “driver’s mate.”
He further promised that if voted into “the driver’s seat,” he would pursue his vision and priorities; hence, Ghanaians should not judge him based on the performance of the current government.
The president has yet to speak on why he could not join Dr. Bawumia during his lecture.
Akufo-Addo doesn’t respect Bawumia
Meanwhile, Okatakyie Afrifa has alleged that Bawumia is not listened to by his superiors in government.
He asserted that Akufo-Addo disregards Dr. Bawumia’s suggestions during government deliberations.
Okatakyie Afrifa claimed that, provoked by the incident, the vice president reached a point where he abstained from attending meetings organized by the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
“When Bawumia makes a suggestion, Akufo-Addo does not listen, take it from me. It even got to a point where the finance minister scheduled for a meeting but he was not attending. They don’t respect him at all,” he said on the same channel.
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