Sekou will campaign for Nana Addo

Tough-talking son of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, has said he is unperturbed at various schemes being employed by key and influential members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to not only bribe him but also discredit him.

He said the party was doing that so he would not campaign for the presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo.

Sekou said his criticism of the Mills administration had not gone down well with the ruling party and it was determined to induce him, with the aim of silencing him so that he would not campaign for Nana Akufo-addo.

Four days ago, Sekou had cause to expose attempts by former NDC Member of Parliamentary for Korle-Klottey and known businessman, David Lamptey, to bribe him with an undisclosed amount and a brand new car, with the general secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, serving as a linkman.

He however turned down the offer since he did not want to fall for such cheap pranks, since he had not done anything for Mr. Lamptey, Chief Executive of Sidalco, a fertilizer bagging company, to warrant such freebies.

Sekou reiterated his commitment to campaign for Akufo-Addo to win the 2012 general election to bring a change to the governance of the country, in spite of attempts by leading members of the NDC to dent his image. In an interview with Daily Guide, he said, “I think they wanted to compromise me or undermine my integrity but the thing is that I don’t think that it’s his money; it should be an NDC connection. It cannot be his own money, giving somebody a brand new car and huge money like that; I didn’t do any job for you or work for you. It doesn’t make sense.” “I know he (Sidalco boss) is now linked with the Presidency and the NDC…so that’s why I told him point blank that I can’t accept anything from him because of where he is and where I am,” he noted.

Sekou stressed, “I am supporting Akufo-Addo because I know if there is a change, it has be NPP.” Sekou, who resigned from the NDC not too long ago, declared an unflinching support for the NPP and its candidate in the next election since he believed they were more credible than the ruling NDC.

According to him, his support for the party and its presidential candidate was not premised on what he would get in return if the NPP should assume the reins of power since he was not a member of the party. What seemed to baffle the former Coordinator of the National Youth Council was the denial being put out by Bernard Mornah, who took him to Mr. Lamptey’s house where the car and the money were offered, asking rhetorically, “If that was not bribe then what was it; somebody giving you a brand new car and huge bundle of cash… if it’s not a bribe, you tell me what it is because I haven’t done any work for him?”

If not for the fact that he stood firm, Sekou said, “Bernard was going to collect it because he said oh if I’m not going to collect, then Bernard should take it and I said no he cannot take it because we came together…if he wants anything he should on his own come and collect it.”

He could however not tell whether the PNC General Secretary, with strong links with the ruling NDC, has since gone for the money and the car.

Sekou had a word of advice for Bernard Mornah: “My advice to him is that, I’m sure it is not the first time he’s done it and it won’t be the last time so he should be careful…others will record the conversation and play it back and he will embarrass himself.”