Senior Journalist and Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has taken a swipe at some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party for questioning his commitment to objectivity.
Reacting to insinuations by radio listeners, (supposed to be NPP members) questioning his integrity and loyalty to the party, Mr. Kweku Baako says he will not yield to any public coercion to wrongfully condemn any political party or government simply to favour another.
Mr. Baako, a panel member on Peace Fm flagship program, Kokrokoo hosted by ace broadcaster, Kwame Sefa Kaye on Wednesday morning, was responding to text messages suggesting he is now in bed with the ruling National Democratic Congress government.
Some of the texters in their submissions refer to the New Crusading Guide Managing Editor as; Abdul Malik Kweku Baako-Mahama, implying he is now working for the President Mahama ticket.
According to the once Journalist of the Year, his comments on issues are largely based on facts available to him at a given time and what his conviction also tells him and not what others would want him say even if, they believe he is paid to do so.
Though obviously incensed, Mr. Baako said he is not the least troubled when people decide to label him as belonging to any political party or association because worse things, though untrue, have been said about him and he won’t be intimidated.
“It is a known fact that I have endorsed Nana Akufo Addo…but I also have a very good relationship with the current President, John Mahama…nobody can buy me.” Mr. Baako yelled.
In a follow up interview with The Al-Hajj, Mr. Malik Kweku Baako stated that, he will not be deterred from remaining consistent and speaking to the truth, no matter whose ox is gored.
According to him, “It is true that I have endorsed the NPP flag bearer, but I will also not subscribe to falsehood against President John Mahama… “Indeed, I have said it severally that the New Patriotic Party don’t destroy Nana Addo by criminalizing his opponents, especially John Mahama”.
In an apparent reason why his integrity is being questioned, Mr. Kweku Baako avers that because he in no uncertain term denounced the NPP’s unwarranted attack on the president and his brother, Ibrahim over the Merchant Bank brouhaha, they (NPP) have now resolved to question his objectivity. “Look, today they are questioning my objectivity simply because I thought the NPP has goofed badly on the Ibrahim issue. The NPP has been unfair to John Mahama and Ibrahim…
“The facts available to me in the Ibrahim Mahama-Merchant bank matter do not support the allegations by the NPP, and I will not simply close my eyes to the truth to please anyone.
Mr. Baako said his relationship with President John Mahama, whom he described as a friend and a brother, transcends partisan considerations.
“I know John long before he became president, if you care to know, John Mahama has for a long time not missed the opportunity to identify with us as colleagues, why should my relation with him change today” Mr. Baako queried.
