A viral video of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo receiving a brown envelope at the time Ghana is preparing for its December 7 elections is a “blank bullet fired by political desperados,” Kweku Baako Jnr has said.
He indicated that it is “nonsense” for anyone to think that a sitting president can be bribed by some individuals because of somebody’s job secrets.
“That viral video is fake. Salis newspaper was key in the [verbal] attacks on Anas Aremeyaw Anas…they thought they were destroying Anas and Tiger Eye…,” Baako said on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show.
Two videos with the same setting and scenery but with different narrations are currently in circulation. One of the videos sought to suggest President Akufo-Addo was influenced with an amount of US$40,000 concealed in a brown envelope.
In the video, Alhaji Abass Awolu, Director of the Department of Urban Roads, according to the narration, sent a delegation to the President’s Nima residence to appeal on his behalf for job security.
“They were led to the President by Dr. Adjei Bawuah, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States. In his company were a woman and a man who were introduced as wife and brother, [respectively] of the Director of Urban Roads,” Baako explained.
A voice purported to be the man introduced as a brother of Alhaji Abass Awolu is heard pleading with Akufo-Addo to pay deaf ears to some allegations against Alhaji Abass, stressing it is a plot by detractors who are bent on tarnishing his image and eventually see him kicked out of office.
Akufo-Addo, after the supposed plea for clemency, is seen receiving a hefty brown envelope from Ambassador Bawuah which according to the narrator, contained US$40,000 being presented on behalf of Alhaji Abass. While at it, the voice of the man purported to be the brother of Alhaji Abass is heard stating that the package is from Alhaji Abass who has been advised by some people to take that action or risk removal from office.
“He has been advised by some people to come and see you with money. He says he doesn’t have much except this $40,000. He is pleading with you not to remove him from office. He also assures never to disappoint you if he is maintained.”
The second video, however, portrays something different. Although the scene and personalities are the same, the conversation is entirely different and the donation doesn’t seem to bribe the President. The unseen man, who the narration claims is the brother of Alhaji Abass, is rather heard discussing how they could assist in the electioneering campaign.
Three personalities, Ambassador Bawuah, a lady, and a third guest, a man whose face is not captured, are seen in candidate Akufo-Addo’s home to offer resources in order to grease the wheels of his campaign.
“Please accept this 40,000 in addition to the T-shirts for now. Later, we will communicate to you how else we can contribute to this,” the male voice said.
In both videos, Akufo-Addo after receiving the envelope requested for a name. He said, “I need to have a name” to which the lady replied, “Hajia Fawzia”. It is unclear what Akufo-Addo needed the name for.
This, Baako explained, was filmed by one Salis Yakubu Atsuluho, whom he, Baako, introduced to Anas Aremeyaw Anas of New Crusading Guide fame.
“I just don’t know how I feel,” Baako admitted, “This gentleman, Salis Yakubu Atsuluho, is the guy behind The Salis newspaper. The guy who did the secret recording of candidate Akufo-Addo”.
When asked by Kwami Sefa Kayi, the host of the show, to confirm if he knew that for a fact, Baako retorted “sure, sure”.
“Look, this is a guy [that] I influenced his entry into ‘Tiger Eye PI’, that’s why I said I don’t know how I feel; and in four, five months, Anas dismissed him.”
Baako recounted that in 2006, Salis Yakubu approached him at the Labone Coffee Shop and indicated that “he used to be an NDC activist, but now an NPP activist, and tried to contest on the NPP’s ticket at Yapei-Kusawgu constituency.”
“He is a political prostitute [.......] of the highest order and I regret myself…,” Baako said.
Baako stated further that when the verbal war of words on Anas Aremeyaw Anas started about two years ago, and before “Who watches the watchman – Part 1”, the ‘Salis newspaper’ which was mostly published online alleged that he, Kweku Baako secretly recorded Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Anas went to show [President Akufo-Addo] excerpts of Number 12,” Baako explained, which helped clarify matters.
