A journalist with Accra-based United Television (UTV), Lydia Maame Yaa Konamah has come under attack from supporters of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for passing a question mark on the credibility of the New Patriotic Party flagbearer hopeful.
The journalist after reading a newspaper headline “NPP 2024 Flagbearer Slot: Delegates Should Vote For Me, I Know How to Beat John Mahama” from a Daily Dispatch newspaper on UTV’s morning show, called Dr Bawumia’s credibility into question.
“Is it you? As for you, you have credibility issues so say something different,” she retorted.
Her statement however has not been taken lightly by some pro-Bawumia supporters and aides who have taken to social media to launch attacks on the journalist.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Kofi Ofosu Nkansah in a since deleted Facebook post questioned the competence of the journalist while labelling her as a “village journalist.”
“All these people are on big platforms. Go back to school and learn the journalism well.
“Kurasinii [villager] journalist,” he wrote in the post which he has since taken down.
In a similar attack, UK-based legal practitioner, Kofi Opare Hagan questioned the depth of Yaa Konamah’s journalism saying she is “one of those people who thinks learning a few English words makes you an excellent Twi Broadcaster. Her wig is even deeper than her” in a Facebook post.
In a subsequent post, he described the statement by the journalist as an outright insult to the person of the vice president.
“If I say person A has credibility issues(full stop) that is an insult. It means I am saying the person is a liar, is known to lie and engages in dishonest conduct.
“If I say person A has credibility issues because of abcd reasons, that is not an insult but an invitation to debate on the topic of the person's credibility. That is because the basis of my allegations has been made bare and can be investigated to determine whether I am right.
“So a journalist, not even a politician, saying the Veep has credibility issues without specifying the basis of that claim is insulting the Veep. You don't even need to be a part-time protocol LLB student to get it,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bawumia has admonished his supporters, specifically spokespersons and campaign team members to exercise decorum in their engagements.
The vice president while stressing the need to ensure internal cohesion within the NPP during and after the flagbearer contest.
He noted that he has issued specific instructions to his supporters and spokespersons not to respond to aspirants who attack him.
He underscored the significance of recognizing that unity is crucial within the party, as they must present a united front against the "main enemy," which is the NDC.
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