Chiefs endorsing politicians is against the constitution – Baako

Veteran journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr, has condemned the usual shameful practice of chiefs endorsing politicians ahead of elections, saying it is against the letter and spirit of the 1992 constitution of Ghana.

According to him, a chief is to be seen as a unifier, therefore, publicly asking their subjects to vote for a particular candidate will go a long way to divide their subjects.

The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide said: “You must unify your community, so if you mount a political platform or if a party sets up a durbar and you go there and go beyond acknowledging delivery of developmental projects to your community and asking for more and proceeding, to endorse a candidate - whether a presidential or parliamentary one - it is against the letter and spirit of this constitution.”

Kweku Baako Jnr noted on Joy FM's Newsfile on Saturday that whenever chiefs openly endorse a candidate, it amounts to the chiefs “misconducting themselves”.

He continued: “So, the chiefs are out there, running routes and misconducting themselves. I didn’t want to say they have become a bunch of licensed irritants and it is about time they are told so in their faces. It doesn’t matter which chief; whether high, low, middle, it doesn’t matter the principle is non-negotiable. The constitution went to a referendum [and it was accepted so we have to abide by it].”

Ahead of the December 7 polls, some chiefs have openly declared support for politicians who visited their palaces to pay homage to them as part of a campaign strategy.

The culprits, including the Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II; and the Omanhene of Mehame Traditional Area, Nana Owusu Kontoh II, have openly declared support for some candidates at various events.

The Chief of Dormaa also endorsed the former President John Dramani Mahama during the latter's visit to the Bono region.