Is Vice-President A Ghanaian?

Following our lead Story on Tuesday July 3,2007, by Our Spotlight Team captioned ALIU MAHAMA: GOOD SERVANT OF GHANA, which highlighted some qualities of the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a reader at Yendi, who did not agree with the paper, took a swipe at the publication for what he thought was a praise-singing exercise of the Vice-president.

We have been compelled to publish the letter which states that Vice-president Alhaji Aliu Mahama was not a full-blooded Ghanaian. We therefore reproduced the letter unedited.

Dear Editor,

I would be grateful if my letter can find space in your newspaper to pursue the truth in connection with your lead story, which appeared on the newsstand of Tuesday July 3,-Sunday July 8, 2007 headlined ALIU MAHAMA : GOOD SERVANT OF GHANA.

Even though I have nothing against the Vice-president who claims he hails from Yendi in the northern region, I think the paper should have done background checks on him to establish the burning issue of whether he is a Ghanaian or not.

As much as I enjoyed reading your article, I think THE SUN should take interest in finding out if the number two man in Ghana is really a Ghanaian. As far elderly residents of Yendi and Tamale are concerned, the Vice-president has Nigerian and Nigerien ancestory. Some of us at Yendi and Tamale do know that Alhaji Mahama’s father was a Nigerien who lived in Nigeria and later on re-located to Yendi.

In choosing Alhaji Aliu Mahama as the running mate, it seems to me that both the NPP and His Excellency Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor failed to do due diligence, regarding the exact nationality of the gentleman. Come to think of it, this is the very Party which, in 1992 or thereabout saw one of its illustrious sons, Lawyer Obeng Manu go to court to challenge the nationality of Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings, who, later on became President of the republic after general elections. I would therefore appeal to you to investigate the matter to avoid the situation, where people of doubtful nationality are encouraged to stake a claim to the presidency. Thank you very much and I hope you would do well to investigate this matter, and make it public for everyone else to know the exact truth.

Tofiq Ibn Hassan, Yendi-Northern Region.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We assure the complaining Tofiq Ibn Hassan that, once duty has called, he must trust that we would do all in our power to arrive at the truth. To begin with, we will forward a questionnaire to the vice-president in anticipation of a swift response for the public. Thank you.