Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called for cool heads in the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s tiff, with former President John Dramani Mahama over the revelation that the Manhyia Palace persuaded the losing candidate in the 2016 presidential election to accept defeat.
In a post on Twitter Tuesday morning, Mr Rawlings stated: “The Asantehene has made us proud with a highly educative address to the UN on the subject of Peace.”
To former President Rawlings, “comments by former President John Mahama on an aspect of the address shouldn’t elicit or provoke an edict sounding threat.”
“Its unwarranted and unnecessary. There’s enough tension. Let’s cool it and cool off,” Mr Rawlings tweeted.
Jerry John Rawlings@officeofJJRThe 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….
What Asantehene said
Addressing the United Nations High Level Forum on the 20th Anniversary of the Adoption and Declaration of the Culture of Peace in New York last Friday as part of activities marking the 73rd General Assembly of the UN, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II revealed that the Manhyia Palace persuaded the losing candidate in the 2016 presidential election to accept defeat, which saved the country from plunging into confusion.
The Asantehene, who was addressing the United Nations for the first time, on the theme: “20th Anniversary of Culture of Peace: Empowering and Transforming Humanity” said on ascending the Golden Stool, he realised that the role of traditional authority in ensuring peace and development in Africa could not be underestimated.
He mentioned how he made all political party leaders to sign a bond to exhibit good conduct before, during and after the 2016 general election, which went a long way to preserve the peace and stability of the nation.
“At the conclusion of the last presidential and parliamentary elections, the country stood on the edge of disaster. 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,” he said.
Mahama’s reaction
However, reacting to the Asantehene’s revelation, Mr Mahama through his former Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah denied the allegations that he was persuaded to accept defeat in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential elections.
He denied any suggestions that the Asantehene persuaded him to concede defeat in the 2016 Presidential Election.
Mr Julius Debrah wrote, “I was associated closely with all the pre, during and post 2016 poll events. 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,” the statement said.
“It is public knowledge that President Mahama willingly announced his decision to accept the outcome of the 2016 elections and congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo even before the official results were formally declared by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission”.
The statement further disclosed that before conceding defeat, Mr Mahama met with then-Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah- Arthur, NDC Chairman Kofi Portuphy, and General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia, together with some high ranking members of the party and informed them of his decision to call and congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo.
