Mahama slams 'devious' media attention on NDC

Former President John Mahama has described as “devious”, the ample attention being given to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by the news media now that the party is in opposition.

At a meeting with his former appointees on 28 March, Mr Mahama wondered why the media never gave his government that much attention ahead of the 2016 general elections but have suddenly chosen to do so now that the party is in opposition.

According to him, there is something sinister about the sudden attention given to the NDC by the media vis-à-vis the 2020 general elections and the leadership of the party, which Mr Mahama suspects is geared towards fanning division in the party while the government of the day is left off the hook.

“It shouldn’t be about the NDC,” Mr Mahama said, wondering: “Why is the media so anxious to give us so much airtime today? Before the elections they didn’t come chasing you to ask you what you think. All the airtime was going to our opponents, then all of a sudden, the prime time morning shows are looking for NDC people and saying: ‘What’s your comment about what’s happening in your party’. And it’s about the NDC today. Why should it be about the NDC?

“The Democrats, who is talking about the Democrats in America? It’s about Trump and the new administration, they are collecting people’s taxes, they should be … the focus of media attention, why is the NDC the focus of media attention at this time?

“It just shows that there is a certain deviousness to try and make this about the NDC and not about who is in government and how they are fulfilling their promises. And unfortunately, we are falling into the trap, we are all lining up to be interviewed and the point is you might say something harmless but all they are looking for is one word and once they pick it, they put their own interpretation to it…” Mr Mahama added.