Bawumia’s 'mockery' comment is taken in good faith; we’re best of friends - Asiedu Nketia

The General Secretary for the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has reacted to the ‘mockery’ comment made by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during his graduation.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday teased Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as 'General Mosquito' as he graduated with a Master's degree in Defence and International Politics from the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College.

Delivering his Special Guest of Honour address at the graduation ceremony, Dr. Bawumia said, "One of our graduands today, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah . . . he is known as 'General Mosquito', and also the General Secretary of the NDC. I'm told when he came into this institution, he left all his 'ntoatoa' behind the gate. As I shook his hands, I was wondering whether the physical training and exercises had added any more muscles to his . . . but it appears, it did not . . . I am told he did not come here for the physical muscles, but came here to beef up the intellectual capacity of the NDC . . . and also enhance his case of being selected as running mate".

The Vice President further commended Asiedu Nketiah and urged all graduands to “let the knowledge you have gained here manifest in your workplaces and in your life endeavors. Be very diligent and let the tenets of loyalty, leadership, time management and the sense of responsibility instilled in you be evident in whatever you do.”

But Johnson Asiedu Nketia reacting to this on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' revealed that Dr. Bawumia is his best friend aside from the fact they are political rivals in the country; thus, he welcomes the advice of the Vice President in good faith.

“Dr. Bawumia my best friend; people don’t know that we are best of friends. His comment about me was out of excitement to see me among the graduands. If you ask him, he will tell you that we are best of friends and so I know that he was happy for me which is why he wanted to just say something. He even said that his comment was on the lighter side,” he said.

Nonetheless, he begged to defer on the submission of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia that he [Asiedu Nketia] was doing his masters in order to become the Vice Presidential Candidate [Running Mate] for former President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming 2020 elections.

“ . . What he said was that I was doing my masters because he has heard that I was going to be the Vice President, but I started my masters course two years ago. It came into the social media when I first entered that I had left politics to join the Army but it was this same course. I should have completed last year but after the examination, it was left with dissertation and it coincided with my campaign for re-election as General Secretary of NDC and so I sent a letter to the institution to defer my course to concentrate on the election and the Presidential Primaries . . . after the Primaries, I went back to continue with the dissertation,” he stated.