Media personality Adakabre Frimpong Manso says he accepted to be Akua Donkor’s running mate for the 2020 general elections because of the latter’s innovative socialist ideas for the country.
According to him, the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) flagbearer’s comparatively lower academic qualification is inconsequential because she has a lot of “home sense” which has influenced Government policy since 2012.
Adakabre, speaking on Citi FM on Thursday, stated the much talked about flagship programme of the incumbent NPP, namely the Free SHS policy, and the recent increase in cocoa prices by 21% were proposed by Akua Donkor to Ghanaians, but she was tagged a comedian by a section of the public.
He said: "I have known Akua Donkor since 2012 and I have come to have greater belief in her and what she stands for, but unfortunately, people seem to think she is like a comedian. "But [.....], Akua Donkor makes a lot of sense when you evaluate what she stands for.
"In 2012, Akua Donkor talked about giving free education to Ghanaians and as it is now, the President of the Republic has given Ghanaians free education. So, Akua Donkor could tell from 2012,” Adakabre said.
He added: "At the launch of her manifesto she [Akua Donkor] talked about giving GH¢10,000 per tonne as the price of cocoa, less than 10 days later the current government led by Nana Akufo-Addo gave out GH¢10,000 per tonne of cocoa. So, you can tell that you can think of Akua Donkor as a comedian but she has a lot of home sense. She may not be highly educated but she has a grasp of what the ordinary Ghanaian requires."
The broadcaster, working with Accra-based Neat FM disclosed that he has been registered as a member of the party.
Adakabre accompanied Akua Donkor to submit her nomination forms and the GH¢100,000 filing fee to the Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday, October 8.
He added that the GFP flag bearer foresaw an increase in the Electoral Commission's filing fees in 2016, so she had to set aside funds to contest the 2020 polls.
He stated that Akua Donkor had reserved GH¢120,000 in multiple accounts for that purpose so she faced no challenge when she had to pay the GH¢100,000 filing fee at the EC.
Adakabre further disclosed: "Akua Donkor has monies lodged in her accounts at the GCB and has party accounts as well and when she showed me those documents and the days that she had started saving because during the previous election in 2016 she had to pay GH¢50,000, so she..........has demonstrated that she is a woman who can calculate and think ahead, she is a futuristic person who could tell that money could become the issue this time around... She is a farmer and she is a mother.’
When asked if the GFP flag bearer really stole any vehicle from Papa Kwesi Nduom, Adakabre stated that Akua Donkor owns at least four vehicles and could not have stolen a Tundra vehicle from Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, the founder of the Progressive People's Party.
"I introduced Akua Donkor to Papa Kwesi Nduom and the deal at a point went sour and they parted ways and there is no issue about stealing a Tundra. Akua Donkor has four vehicles that I know of. She is a woman of substance and she would not need to steal anybody's vehicle.’
Adakabre Frimpong Manso with his flagbearer Akua Donkor