Stripping J J & co naked: Ex-cadre defends Kweku Baako!

Alhaji Mohammed Alidu, Ex-Inspector of Police who doubled as the Regional Organising Assistant of the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (CDR), has expressed disgust at those who have been criticising Kwaku Baako Jnr., Editor in-Chief of “The Crusading Guild,” for his crusade against Ex-President Jerry Rawlings and company.

Baako has said on air sometimes ago that he was going to strip Mr Rawlings. Analysing the word “strip in the context in which it was used, Alhaji Alidu noted, “Kwaku cannot be so callous to say he will physically strip Rawlings naked, knowing the number of security men guarding Ex-President Rawlings. Kwaku only meant he will use the power of his pen to strip Rawlings naked. That is his constitutional right and one cannot take that from him.”

He described the editor as “an investigative journalist of the highest order” and said ever since the PNDC days through the NDC era to date, his investigative journalism had been without blemish. He pointed out that Baako had always admitted that he was an activist of June 4 because he believed and still believes and stands by the principles of probity, integrity and accountability.

Alidu then asked, “Has Rawlings lived up to those principles that he set for Ghanaians?” The former cadre harped on the hypocrisy of J.J Rawlings when he emphasised that after running down education in Ghana, he (JJ) has sent his four children abroad to further their education.

Mohammed Alidu saw no justification in the executions of some military chiefs, including three Heads of State since the former leader of the nation- who was then Head of the regime that executed them- did not live by the tenets of probity and accountability. He wondered why some people should be throwing verbal missiles at Baako in his efforts to unmask the shady deals of “the Rawlingses,” adding, “if they sincerely believe that Kweku is telling lies, what prevents them from publishing rejoinders to the contrary?”

Touching on a recent castigation of Baako by some leading members of the NDC Youth Forum on an Accra FM station, Alhaji Alidu, who expressed his sentiments in a statement to The Crusading Guild underscored, “The best Youth Forum members could have done was to advise ex-President Rawlings to disprove Kweku’s claims and not to chastise him.”

He cited an instance where after causing the arrest of a smuggler believed to be associated with Capt. Kojo Tsikata (rtd), former Security Adviser, he (Alidu) was nearly assassinated after he had been interdicted. “If I used the so-called ‘power to the people concept in eradicating smuggling in the country and made billion of cedis to the State, should that be the price I should pay for my loyalty, dedication and devotion?” he wondered.

He encouraged Kweku Baako to keep up his fighting spirit while quoting from the Holy Book, “When men shall prosecute you and shall say all sorts of evil things against you for righteousness sake, be glad and rejoice, for your reward is in heaven. So were the prophets before you prosecuted.”