John Mahama must be left alone, please!

Few weeks back, a friend told me a sad story of a beautiful girl in his community who was accused of being a prostitute and by such accusation was mistreated, insulted, abused, maligned and stigmatised against by many persons. That, the beautiful lady, though, knowing she was guiltless of such spiteful heart-breaking accusations, kept her cool and never tried to defend herself. She left everything to time and posterity.

My friend continued that, just one day, time finally brought the truth home. That, the whole community got to realise that the girl, they once vilified, insulted and tagged as a prostitute was rather the most decent girl in the entire town. And that from the day the truth was uncovered; she became a heroine, whom every man in the community desperately wanted as a wife. Every woman wanted her as the daughter-in-law. Every girl wanted her as friend so they could learn from her.

My friend concluded the story with a mixed feeling. And as I drove home that evening, I related the false accusation against the innocent lady to former president John Mahama ordeal; how he was vilified, abused, stripped naked and disgraced as an enemy of the country in the form of a president. Literally speaking, he was dragged to the market square, denuded, and sprayed with opprobrium so thick that his enemies would hope never washes off. He was simply tagged as a highly corrupt man, highly clueless about governance, highly incompetent and deserved to be shown a red card.

The then opposition New Patriotic Party, NPP, with the gigantic help of embittered elements within the National Democratic Congress, NDC, led by All-Knowing Martin Alamisi Amidu, now the Special Prosecutor, SP, rolled out fantastic stories of how the Mahama’s government was engaged in unclothed corrupt acts, the nation gasped in disbelief. The allegations, powered by heavily paid media outlets, leapt across every corner of the country daily. In fact, as the allegations were repolished, retold and re-circulated, they grew weirder, causing much impact negatively on the persona of Mr Mahama and his administration.

The GHC 51 million paid to Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome through a high court Judgement became an albatross on the neck of Mr Mahama. Epistles by Martin Amidu on how Mr Mahama was neck-deep in aiding Woyome to steal the state were legendary. He urged Ghanaians to pick up calculators and calculate how such amount could help changed their lives. These malicious allegations churned out daily by Martin Amidu and his paymasters courted public anger against Mr Mahama and his government.

The Mahama’s government, allegedly swimming in corruption became the new tales by moonlight. He was brutally savaged in the media, ridiculed and cursed in the market places, abused by drivers, and mocked by his political enemies. They, indeed, did a good hatchet job because never before had a number one citizen in the land was so publicly humiliated. But Mr Mahama remained tactful and focused on executing the mandate given him by Ghanaians. He, like the young beautiful girl, left everything to time and posterity, so Martin Amidu and his cohorts succeeded in stripping himself off the presidency.

As Jonathan Swift put it, truth limps, while falsehood flies. Truth would eventually catch up, but by the time it does, falsehood would have done its damage and truth’s victory would at best be puerile. Today, Ghanaians have seen that Mr Mahama was the best person to lead them. He has become a saint as the innocent girl who was labelled as a prostitute became a heroine in the story told by my friend. He is wanted back by all well-meaning Ghanaians. He is wanted back by the market women who were misled to abuse and insult him. He is wanted by the drivers who insulted and abused him. The nurses and teachers are wailing for his comeback. He is, indeed, wanted back as a president. The voice of Ghanaians is loud and clear.

So I find it not so difficult putting my fingers on the reason for the clandestine attempts by political actors from the ruling NPP government and some rogues within the NDC to yet launch another effort to denigrate the persona of Mr Mahama and his massive achievements which are visible in every corner of the country. We now know that the spurious allegations of corruption often made against him which are being rehearsed daily are another plot to erode his admirable brand ahead of the NDC’s presidential primaries and the 2020 presidential elections.

In fact, the allegations being thrown out at him are nothing but the mere rhetoric aimed at running him down politically rather than the way he handled the affairs of the country as a president. Is it on record that Mr Mahama’s government had established itself as one of the best governments in the history of the country since the inception of democratic governance. This is well-acknowledged, not only in Ghana, but across Africa and the world at large. So, why would jumpy ruthless politicians not leave him alone to press ahead and come back to continue his all-round development agenda he started?

Let it be clear to those paid agents of Mr Mahama’s political enemies, that their plan to distract him from his bid to comeback as the presidential candidate for the NDC, which is already a donedeal, by painting him in false colours of corruption as they did in the past, can never succeed and will ruthlessly be met with equal measure. Such political rodents should note that apart from Mr Mahama’s pedigree and political leadership experiences as a former Member of Parliament, a Vice President and President, Ghanaians unshakeable confidence in him is hinged on a number of important considerations: One, Mr Mahama understands the problems of Ghana very well; Two, he listens to their concerns; he is a doer rather than a garrulous; Three, that he is the Lord Jesus Christ of our time who was falsely accused and crucified, in his timely resurrection lies their hope.

Mr Mahama’s commitment to the social, economic and political interests of Ghana, as amply demonstrated when he was the president, is well acknowledged by all. Even his most ardent critics in secret eulogise his humane approach to issues pertaining to the needs of the people of the country. In only four years of Mr Mahama’s government, the massive infrastructure that has radically transformed the country is obviously insurmountable.

Under his leadership, the civil service was allowed a free-hand to work efficiently; the Ghana Gas project which produces 107 million standard cubic feet of lean gas, 500 tonnes of LPG, 80 tonnes of pentane and 45 tons of condensates daily, the $1Billion Nungua Water Desalination project, Kpong Water Project, the Wa water supply project, the 3Ks project, covering Kumawu, Konongo and Kwahu, are all projects guaranteeing sustainable water supply to the people, the Awoshie-Pokuase road, the Ridge & Police Hospital Expansion and the Tamale International Airport. These, are major projects that changed the face of Ghana.

Apart from a solid administrative foundation Mr Mahama laid, yet he was ridiculed, a lot had been achieved by his administration in just only four years. For instance, the 74.88 million euros circle interchange, the $344 Million for the expansion of the Takoradi port, the $35 million Komenda Sugar factory, the 200 Community Senior High School (SHS) project and the almighty T3 kotoka international airport expansion. Mr Mahama’s record in the area of the education is simply unbeatable. Facilities at the most SHSs throughout the country were refurbished, universities were expanded, new ones built and all Polytechnics upgraded and turned to degree certificates awarding universities.

We can go on and on. So those who want to continue to give Mr Mahama a bad name so they can hang him, must this time around look for a credible name to give him. The attempt to paint him in black colours can never succeed. I am certain that the ruling NPP and those who wanted the NDC to rot in opposition had wished that he had not shown up during presidential primaries. They know that his return is a masterstroke of the NDC winning machine ahead of the crucial 2020 presidential elections and that he is the only politician in Ghana who continues to be NPP’s nemesis and waterloo. And so as they have planned to throw mud at him, they must as well be ready for an eye for eye warfare. Mr Mahama must be left alone this time around!

The writer is a senior Journalist, Managing Editor of The National Tribute Newspaper, a columnist with Ghanaweb.com, Modernghana.com, other online portals and an activist of the NDC. Contact; thenationaltribute@gmail.com.