The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Youth Organizer in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Dennis Kwakwa has admonished the 2020 flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. John Mahama to resign as the party's presidential candidate as a bribery scandal involving Airbus, Europe’s largest aerospace multinational, has opened a whole conversation on a corruption subject involving the former president and current flagbearer of the opposition party.
"I wish John Mahama should resign over the issue as NDC flagbearer for new candidate to lead NDC to December 7 polls", young politician spoke on a local radio station in Kumasi during a telephone conversation monitored by reporter, Kwabena Danso-Dapaah.
According to The Guardian of the UK, Airbus was found guilty by a High Court in London for paying huge bribes to secure contracts during Mr Mahama’s tenure as President of Ghana and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
"I am now fully convinced that NDC led by John Mahama is epitome of corrupt. ... And Ghanaians should not allow NDC to led Ghana again", Mr. Dennis Kwakwa urged the electorates ahead of this year's polls described by political pundits to be crucial.
Meanwhile, NDC has denied reports that Airbus paid bribes to some government officials during the administration of the late Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills and John Mahama.
The party in a statement signed by former Attorney General & Minister for Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong argued that media reports on the issue did not capture the true reflection of the approved judgement of the case in the UK.
The NDC statement said: "Our attention has been drawn to media reports about a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) entered between Airbus SE and the United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office in respect of the practice of Airbus SE in paying commission to its agents and the use of those commissions.
"The reports alleging that Airbus SE paid bribes during the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama are false, misleading and do not reflect the Approved Judgment. Indeed, the Approved Judgment of the Crown Court of Southwark approving the DPA between Airbus and the UK Serious Fraud Office does not allege that any payment was made by Airbus to any Ghanaian Government official.
"It is, therefore, a gross distortion for the media to conclude that officials of the Ghana Government between 2009 and 2015 were bribed or paid any commissions by Airbus for the acquisition of the Casa C-295 aircraft."