'Difficult to even interrogate this absurdity,' it's 'kids’ stuff!' - Baako on Otokunor's accusations

Seasoned journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has jabbed the Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor over the latter's suspicions on the position of his party's presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama on the ballot paper.

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, held an event for the qualified political parties contesting the December general elections to select the position of their Presidential candidates on the ballot paper for the upcoming elections.

The candidates include President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Christian Kwabena Andrews (Ghana Union Movement), Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku (Progressive Peoples Party), Akua Donkor (Ghana Freedom Party), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings (National Democratic Party), Hassan Ayariga (All People’s Congress), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet (Convention People’s Party), Henry Herbert Lartey (Great Consolidated People’s Party), Percival Kofi Akpaloo (Liberal Party Ghana), David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera (People’s National Congress) and an independent candidate, Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) picked the first position on the ballot paper while the largest opposition National Democratic Congress represented by the party's deputy General Secretary, Mr. Peter Boamah Otokunor selected number two (2) position for his party.

The Ghana Union Movement came third, Convention People's Party chose fourth, Ghana Freedom Party is fifth, Great Consolidated People’s Party is sixth, All People’s Congress selected seventh position, the Liberal Party Ghana, People’s National Congress, Progressive Peoples Party, National Democratic Party and independent candidate Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker will come eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth respectively on the ballot paper.

According to reports, the NDC Deputy General Secretary accused the EC of colluding with the government to ensure President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo comes first on the ballot paper while Mr. John Mahama takes the second position.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Kweku Baako questioned the sense in Otokunor's argument.

He asked if the NDC Presidential candidate coming second also meant that the NDC contacted the Commissioners behind closed doors and arranged for Otukonor to pick the second position since the party is now running with the political mantra; "the second coming of John Mahama."

"There are certain things you don't even entertain. That's why I'm saying it's maybe for comic relief...It irritates...It's too much, consistent complaints, rumblings...Sometimes you expect some level of quality from the party,” Mr. Baako stated.

He described Otukonor's argument as 'kids' stuff. You can imagine the way we're trying to make sense out of it. An absurdity and we're trying to interrogate this absurdity to see if there's some sense in it. And you can see that it doesn't even make sense; it's so difficult even to interrogate this kind of absurdity. It's just not fair"