Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okujeto Ablakwa says NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to chicken out of an invitation to debate President Mahama is a testimony of the long held view among the generality of Ghanaians that Nana Addo is no match for the President.
He said unlike Nana Addo, president Mahama is very much on top of his brief to the extent that he (President Mahama) is rather having to chase Nana Addo for a debate which is unprecedented.
The Deputy Minister said he believes Nana Akuffo Addo is not interested in debating president Mahama for fear that the numerous falsehoods he’s peddling will be exposed through such an exercise.
“This is a significant development in our country’s democratic journey because this is the first time a sitting president is rather requesting for a debate with his main political arch rival. This has never happened before and I think the president has to be commended for that. This shows president Mahama is on top of his brief, he is confident, and more important is very clear in mind where Ghana is at the moment and where he intends to take this country.”
President Mahama who had turned down an IEA proposal for a debate between him and the opposition leader has over the past few weeks been pushing for a one-on-one challenge with the three-time flagbearer.
He told the Volta Star in an interview Thursday that such a debate will enable him and Nana Addo to justify the claims they are both making on the performance of the economy.
But the NPP has described the President’s call as hypocritical. They argue the President should have taken up the IEA debate request if he was interested in debating their candidate.
Spokesperson for the NPP presidential candidate Mustapha Hamid has told the media they are not ready to debate the president now since their focus is on the campaign.
According to him the president cannot pick and choose when and where he wants to have a debate with Nana Akuffo and expect that everything will come to stand still just to accept his invitation.
But speaking on good morning Ghana on Accra based Metro Tv, Mr Okujeto Ablawka said the NPP’s excuse is untenable because the president has never said he will never debate Nana Addo. He explained that the decision not to participate in the IEA debate was a party decision because the party had issues with the platform.
“We never said we will never debate Nana Addo. The IEA didn’t organize the debate well in our view and so we decided not to participate. How can that be interpreted to mean that we run away? There are other equally qualified state agencies that are capable of organizing a debate and as we speak we are getting a lot of invitation from other organization including some faculties at the University of Ghana who have formerly written to us for our participation in a debate. Why does it have to be the IEA as if to say they are the only institution capable of doing it” he said.
He adds that the NPP must admit their party’s flag bearer doesn’t have what it takes to debate the sitting president and no amount of excuses will justify the decision not to participate.
“Like I said Nana Addo has only confirmed the long held perception that he can’t debate president Mahama and so has only found an excuse to chicken out of such an important exercise. The man has been going round peddling all kinds of falsehood about the president and his administration and now that he has an opportunity to come and correct these misinformation he is running away? It’s a bad decision in my view”
Source: Citizens Mail
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All of you that insult Ablakwa are ***barred word*** .
keep dreaming
Oh! Debate for the where? So why did he refuse the IEA presidential debate and now wants to debate who? NDC thinks we Ghanaians were drawn from the woods so their president can just get up and say anything and we will fall for it. Tell Mahama to debate Ekua Donkor or Ayariga wai, both are presidential candidates. Ablakwa thank your constituent who will vote for anyone simply because it NDC colours, like people like you wont get the opportunity to mess things up for us.You have nothing to offer and i dont blame you. Dont take us for granted. President Mahama wants to debate the man his very media insults each day. Oh what a leader we have?
Look but who is talking an ***barred word*** called Okudzeto Ablakwa !!!!!!!!!! who never has worked in his life but prefers to have opinions about Nana Addo; all that comes out of this thiffs mouth is raw sewage which should rather come from his backside ; why does Okudzeto Ablakwa want a debate between Nana Addo and Jon Mahama ; as far as the criminal party and Jon Mahama are concerned they have done good development projects all over place ; they have paid for big bill boards to show Jon Mahama of his good works which means the NDC need not even discuss it on stage besides it this same Jon Mahama who said people who have not being President have no right to criticise him ; Nana Addo has never being a President so why does Jon Mahama want to be seen on stage with clueless northner called Jon Mahama ; what Ablakwa should understand is that it is not NPP voters who are seeking to rid off these bunch of bandits; rogues and thiffs but today it is the whole Ghana wishing to get rid of these stilling rogues ;WHERE IS THIS FAHERLESS CHILDD JJ RAWLINGS WHO CREATED THIS BUNCH OF ROBBERS AND CALLED IT A PARTY CALLED NDC how can you appoint a thiff like Ablakwa ; a man who has never worked in his life becomes a minister then suddenly acquires a number of petrol stations at Mataheko in Accra; WHY SHOULD NANA ADDO WASTE HIS TIME ON SUCH A RAW SEWEGE WICKED JON MAHAMA !!!!!!!!!!; to me Nana Addo should ignore this THIFF and his inflated opinions about himself .
tell mahama to accept the kalypo challenge and also advise all his appointees, ndc executives and supporters to do same then we will consider your request. may be we can send my grandmother to debate him if he has now come to his senses that debates are necessary. the wind of change is blowing to hard that they are looking for cover. u lie. it will blow you away come dec 7.
May it be known to John Dramani Mahama, the NDC and their ilks that Nana Addo has no time for a very disorganised and a confused indecisive president who cannot tell his left from his right. Any attempt by JDM to clinge on to Nana Addo for a popularity contest will never materialise. In an exhibition of a very typical confused mind, Mahama and the NDC chickened out of the IEA debate. With all the odds against them, they now want a debate... for what? Incompetence of the highest levels. I dont care who anybody should vote, but.... These and many reasons why JDM and the NDC must be voted out
Someone tell this low life to examine his logic. When you chickened out of IEA was it so "PRESIDENTIAL"? Mind you Nana wont play to the whims and caprices of a "spoilt child"
Kwasiiaaa gyimigyimii
DEBATE FOR WHAT? WHAT GHANAIANS NEED AND WANT IS FOR BARAWO MAHAMA AND HIS NDC GANG OF JULORS TO RENDER ACCOUNTS ON SADA, GYEEDA, BUS BRANDING,BRAZIL WORLD CUP, KUMASI AIRPORT RENOVATION,EMBRAER AIRPLANES,WOYOME, OIL MONEY, AND MANY MORE JULOR CONNECTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY THE MOST BARAWO PRESIDENT AND JULOR GOVT GHANA HAS EVER HAD. GHANAMAN, VOTE OUT ATOPAHENE IN DECEMBER 2016!!!