Founding President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has joined two analysts who believe that an alleged videotape showing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo taking money will not hurt his chances significantly in the general elections to be held in four days.
Respected political scientist, Prof Ransford Gyampo and Pollster Ben Ephson, have said that while the video raises questions yet to be answered adequately by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the President, it will not cause a major stir in the outcome of the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections for the NPP.
“It may make a minor dent. Don’t forget that strangely enough corruption seems to have taken a back seat in this election. The election is being prosecuted on free SHS and the coronavirus pandemic, and these two things are already going well for the NPP,” Franklin Cudjoe said during an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb.
The NDC is alleging that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo took a bribe of $40,000 in the early days of his Presidency.
Per the narration from a version of the video, the money was taken to retain an appointee of former President John Dramani Mahama in office despite calls to get him removed.
The NDC backs the allegations with a video it says was made by an investigative journalist.
The governing NPP and the government communication machinery have discredited the video as fake.
The NPP has released what it says is an original video, and also claims that original video was made when Nana Akufo-Addo was in opposition and not when he was President as the NDC has claimed.
The difference in the two videos is in what the voices are alleged to be saying.
Speaking to GhanaWeb on the two videos on Thursday, December 3, 2020, Franklin Cudjoe said the question, however, remains as to why Nana Akufo-Addo was personally taking the cash donation and not his campaign team.
“The two videos that have been put out by the two parties tell a story. The story is that the President was seen taking something in an envelope. The question is if the narrative from the NPP is that these were campaign contributions…is there a designated party [desk] that receives these types of donations? And what was the purpose of the person recording it?” he asked.
The IMANI Africa boss said the video goes to prove that the corruption fight under Akufo-Addo has been poor.
In his view, with the numerous corruption scandals that have hit the Akufo-Addo administration, he cannot be described as incorruptible.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo