Former President John Dramani Mahama has refuted claims that he was persuaded to concede defeat during the 2016 general elections.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in a bombshell remark said it was through his effort that the former President who was unwilling to accept defeat, conceded.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who was speaking at the United Nations General Assembly said: "at the conclusion of the last presidential and parliamentary elections, the country stood on the edge of disaster. The United Nations representative and the diplomatic community were aghast and alarmed that Ghana was about to slip down the slope of the electoral violense. 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 to fly both candidates for a quiet encounter to pave way for a smooth handover."
This is contrary to reports from Mahama that he conceded defeat on his own accord.
However, a statement in reaction to this signed by former Chief of Staff under the erstwhile Mahama administration, Julius Debrah said the former President was not persuaded to concede defeat.
Per the statement, "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 Asantehene has over the years been a very respected interlocutor in Ghana’s multi-party political engagements. He has been generous in his wise counsel to present and former Presidents. 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."
Read the full statement below
OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON REPORTS SUGGESTING THAT HE JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA REFUSED TO ACCEPT & CONCEDE DEFEAT IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Reference is made to a video recording of an address by His Majesty the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the UN High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, which seems to suggest that former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama had to be persuaded to concede defeat in the 2016 Presidential Election.
As former Chief of Staff to President Mahama, 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 Asantehene has over the years been a very respected interlocutor in Ghana’s multi-party political engagements. He has been generous in his wise counsel to present and former Presidents.
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.
On the day President Mahama willingly conceded defeat, he met with then Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah- Arthur, NDC Chairman Kofi Portuphy, 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.
Following the meeting with the party, he called a number of personalities including President Jerry John Rawlings, President John Agyekum Kufuor, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, National Chief Imam Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu, Rev. Ernest Agyei of the Ringway Assemblies of God Church and Archbishop Duncan Williams.
As Otumfuo himself has already stated publicly, under his auspices, there were three meetings held in Kumasi between President Mahama and then Candidate/President-Elect Nana Akufo-Addo during the period.
The first was prior to the December 07 election in which the two candidates promised to play fair and respect the will of the people. Indeed, President Mahama in a conversation with Nana Akufo-Addo said he hoped Nana was not going to tie down the nation in a court case again after the 2016 elections.
The other two meetings took place after the official declaration of the results of the elections, and to re-emphasise, after President Mahama had publicly conceded and congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo. Those two meetings focused on matters arising out of the transition process.
President Mahama made a commitment to the people of Ghana, never to be the one to subject them to the periods of unease, political instability and the doubts they experienced after the 2008 and 2012 elections. He remained true to that commitment and exemplified it after the 2016 elections.
Mr. Julius Debrah Former Chief of Staff Accra.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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you npp people think we have forget how you insulted the king when you thought he is supporting the then president? this are some of the reason why i don't like you people
Julius Debrah should not step foot in Ashanti again. He cannot disrespect the King and go free. This ***barred word*** must stop
Hmmmm, now the gang of Y3ntie obia are fighting. The music has ended,dancing shoes are worn out, and dancing floor is empty. Ampa odo saa na ato adapaa.
THAT CORRUPT FORMER PRESIDENT MAHAMA IS GREEDY, WE SAW IT WHEN GHANAIANS KNEW THAT MAHAMA LOST THE ELECTION WOEFULLY, YET HE WAS NOT WILLING TO CONCEDE DEFAT. IT TAKES THE INTERVENTION OF OTUMFUO BEFORE FORMER PRESIDENT MAHAMA CONGRATULATED THE THEN CANDIDATE OF THE NPP NOW GHANA'S PRESIDENT NANA ADDO DANKWAH. WE KNOW MAHAMA IS CORRUPT, MAHAMA IS INCONPETENT, MAHAMA IS NOT A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE NDC , WHAT AT ALL CAN HE OFFER GHANAIAN WHICH WE DON'T KNOW?. HE WILL SURELY BE DFEATED COME DECEMBER 2020 ELECTION.
He exaggerated to make Ashanti kingdom so relevant before the United Nations. He should have elaborate on Kumasi peace accord and supreme court case instead of mahama who shows no treat of violence. Everybody is a warrior the respect for the imminent Ashanti king by all Ghanaians normally give the Ashantis the falls impression to intimidate others. Since when did Mahama started been violent
YOU'LL SEE HOW THE EWES AND FANTES WOULD COME AND INSULT THE KING. JEALOUSY AND HATRED. THEY WISHED THEY HAD ONE KING FROM THERE. I'M WAITING FOR 'BULLDOG' VERY SOON. HEHEHEHEEHHEHE
the issue is between Asantehene and The Former President Mahama insulting any of this people is not Good, No matter how it is lets show respect to our leaders. just say what you think please.
Confused NDC, what will you say if Otumfour tells the whole world that, he played a leading role in resolving the Dagbon Chieftaincy Dispute? I know you will do the same thing you are doing now. Don't you think what you are doing now is just alienating the Asantes from your party and they will refuse to vote for you in 2020? You don't learn from your mistakes. You did the same thing in 2016 with your 'gold roads' an 'yentie obiara' mantras, clearly spearheaded by John Mahama. It is only twerps, big big fuuuu...ls who don't learn from their mistakes.
NDC NEED NOT REACT TO OTUMFOU REMARK. IF TRUTH BE TOLD, STATEMENTS "WE ARE IN A COMFORTABLE LEAD", "THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN HACKED", Alleging massive over voting, etc did not come from Otumfuo.
I get shocked to read certain posts from our bloody Ghanaians, I believe most of us on want to refuse truth and play otherwise cox of where they have their thoughts to. now these are big men of the country and if you think AsanteHene will waste his time and pen these statements then you lie bad. he is speaking about what went on & you and I were not there so why must you fight over this whiles your light bills, fees, shelter debts and other pressures awaits you? please leave them alone if not they will always take you for a ***barred word***. tnx