Oppong-Nkrumah 'sets his presidential ambition ablaze' with rehashed 2008 claims against Mahama

One of Ghana's politically ambitious young men in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had his highly ambitious political dream to the presidency set on fire by employing subterfuge to reintroduce claims of promiscuity against ex-President John Dramani Mahama, which first surfaced in 2008, but received an embarrassing hit in his face.

The 38-year-old Information Minister, has since become the object of serious speculations on all social media platforms, associating him with pornography, homosexuality, sleeping with people's wives, including having sexual affairs with a top lady in President Akufo-Addo's office on official trips.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayirebi Constituency in the Oda Municipality of the Eastern Region, had used the privilege of Parliamentary debate to court the displeasure of the Minority NDC last Friday by addressing former Deputy Energy Minister, John Jinapor as "Papa no," NPP's new reference to the NDC's 2020 flagbearer; Mr Mahama.

The tag 'Papa no' has become popular on social media after the extra size actress, Tracey Boakye and the diminutive Mzbel's mystery man affair controversy, which the NPP social media operatives, have since taken to various platforms to linked ex-President Mahama, hoping its seeps into the mainstream media space.

The spillover from the ex-broadcaster's needless provocation, is the release of an audiotape purported to be that of Deputy Minister of Communication and MP for Ewutu, George Andah, begging for sex from a young lady, saying he is not in love with his wife, therefore, needed sex with the lady said to be a teenager.

There were pictures portraying Madam Ursula Owusu's deputy, as a pervert with a lady's pantie around his neck seducing himself into a sexual trance.

The phrase brought drama in parliament late Friday night as the house approved the Agyapa Royalties Limited agreement; the new name for Asaase Royalties Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to use for the appropriate investments with the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act 2018, passed two years ago by Parliament

The act, establishes the Minerals Income Investment Fund to manage the equity interests of Ghana in mining companies, and receive royalties on behalf of government by an offshore company register in Jersey; one of the British tax-free islands.

"Mr Speaker, I want to encourage my colleagues on the other side. I want to encourage my good friend who just spoke (John Jinapor). In my hometown, we will say, 'Papa no.' 'Papa no.' I want to encourage 'Papa no' to take some time and follow the structure of this conversation and support," the Ofoase Ayirebi MP told the House.

Reacting to the 'Papa No' phrase, minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said his side of the house will seize recognising Kojo Oppong as minister, if he does not withdraw the comment and referred to him as 'Maame no'.

"You come to parliament to employ those words used on social media, we take strong objection to it. If you don't withdraw, we won't recognise you today as minister. We will not. Do what you will do," Haruna Iddrisu said.

"From today, we won't recognise you as minister of this republic. And we will not accord you any respect as minister. Let's throw it to the dogs. What do you take us for? So, 'Papa no' accepted. But from today, we will not.

"We will give you a name. We will give you a name. And we are serving notice, he was elected just like you. And his constituents respect him. Because you people use 'Papa no' on social media. We know what it means. We will match you. You have lost my respect as Minority leader from today. We will match with you. We too, we will call you 'Maame no," Mr Iddrisu added.

The phrase managed to throw parliament into chaos as minority MPs banged the table whilst Majority MPs shouted 'Papa no' in the background as the debate continued.

First deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu, requested the house to look beyond the drama.

"The honourable minority leader's anger, I pretended to overlook it because I think it's in the spur of the moment. And knowing this house, tomorrow, we will get over it. But some insist on making an issue over it.

"I don't think we will gain anything as a house by pretending this is new. And the threats don't come to anything. So, the house will proceed," he said.

The debate on the deal continued as the Minority in Parliament walked out in protest of the deal. But the majority went ahead to approve it.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has been attempting an explanation, saying his 'Papa no' aspersion enounuedo comment in Parliament on Friday was not meant to offend anybodybut suggested he was reckless on the day.

According to him, the comment was made in jest.

If you say something in jest, you do not mean it seriously.

The phrase 'papa no' has become popular on social media after the plump actress Tracey Boakye used it repeatedly to describe a married man, she claims she and musician Mzbel are in the same relationship with.

Eventually, First deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu, ruled that sleeping dogs should be allowed to lie.

"The honourable minority leader's anger, I pretended to overlook it because I think it's in the spur of the moment. And knowing this house, tomorrow, we will get over it. But some insist on making an issue over it.

"I don't think we will gain anything as a house by pretending this is new. And the threats don't come to anything. So, the house will proceed," he said.

The debate on the deal continued after that. Eventually, the Minority MPs walked out of the house in protest of the deal. But the majority went ahead to approve it.

After the approval was given, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah told the house; "Mr. Speaker, earlier, I was trying to catch your eye to request that the use of my expression which caused apprehension on the other side be expunged from the record. I didn't mean it to offend anybody. It was in jest. And if anybody took offence to it, the records should reflect that it's been expunged," he said.

But Ghanaians, are yet to buy into the genuineness of his retraction to help set off the fire from his presidential ambition.

However, Twitter users are on rampage following a post involving President Nana Akufo-Addo and Ofoase-Yirebi Member of Parliament, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi got several social media users busy after he posted a posted a video of President Akufo-Addo, with the caption,

"Greetings to "Papa no", who is famed for groping women, has slept with more than half of his female appointees and has rewarded them with juicy appointments."

In his concluding tweet, he tagged Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah as gay.

Majority of comments coming in are describing his comments as a low blow, whilst others are supporting his posturing.

A tweep who was obviously not enthused about Sammy Gyamfi wrote:Before I start descending into the gutters. Please is that the real account of Sammy Gyamfi. Aaah did you guys say he is a lawyer? Issues based campaign no enu nie anaaa. If you believe Mahama is not at the center of tracy mzbel why descend this low. Am disappointed in him!!!!

Another person tweeted: "Sammy Gyamfi went way too low this time around. To speculate that Nana Addo has slept with about 50% of his appointees is far below the belt. For a party that has nominated a woman as their running mate, I least expected this from their communications director," to register his displeasure.

But jumping to the NDC Communications officer, a twitter user noted that, "So Sammy Gyamfi talks p3, and the NPP guys will be bleeding anyhow, truth indeed hurts. 3na… "He will be the reason NDC will lose", " He is a disappointment " etc. Who said he was there to impress u guys? U can do, but we cannot do abi? Not this time round.@CheEsquire"