Odike defends Mahama over ‘goat’ analogy in Kumasi

Founder and leader of United Progressive Party (UPP), Kwasi Addai Odike, has jumped to the defence of former President John Dramani Mahama over his recent comments made in Kumasi about the political affinity of the Ashantis.

The NDC flagbearer who is on a 6-day tour of the Ashanti Region asked the electorates in the region, the stronghold of the ruling NPP, to vote out President Akufo-Addo for failing to fulfil his promises to Ashantis.

“I have heard people say this is the stronghold of the NPP so when the colours of the NPP is tied to the neck of a goat you will vote for the goat because you love NPP,” Mr Mahama said while asking the people to reject the Akufo-Addo government in the 2020 elections and vote the NDC to power.

The analogy Mr Mahama made on Tuesday did not go down well with the NPP in the region. The party has described his statement as unfortunate and asked the NDC leader to apologise to the people of Ashanti.

The Ashanti Regional Organizer for the NPP, Francis Adomako, who was speaking on Kumasi-based Akoma FM on Wednesday morning described Mr Mahama’s analogy as unfortunate and inappropriate and called him to retract and apologise.

But in a sharp rebuttal, the UFP founder rubbished the claim and said some propagandists within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) had capitalized on the statement, which he said meant no harm, to cause disaffection for the former president.

“They are taking the man out of context…he meant no harm but was just using that as an example to tell the Ashantis to reject the NPP and shift their voting trend,” Odike told host Kofi Asante.

He said Mr Mahama was only asking the Ashantis who had been taken for granted to change their minds and vote for the NDC that did not fail the people of Kumasi and its environs.

To Odike, the NPP government must be kicked out for their poor performance in the Ashanti Region.