Baako: ‘Akufo-Addo has never preached violence in his life’

Presidential Aspirant Nana Akufo-Addo has “never” encouraged nor incited violence in his entire life, Editor-in-Chief of the private newspaper, New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako Jr, has said.

“Akufo-Addo has never preached violence in the four decades that I’ve known him," Baako vouched Saturday.

He was reacting to accusations by Akufo-Addo’s former Campaign Director, Dr Arthur Kennedy, that Tuesday’s violence at the main opposition New Patriotic Party’s Headquarters, in the national Capital, Accra, was fueled by the two-time presidential Candidate.

Following the eruption of the violence, Dr Kennedy wrote that: “It is obvious, upon careful reflection that these hooligans…are being organised, encouraged, inspired and motivated by or on behalf of the 2012 Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. While he is a good man, he has permitted a lot of bad things to be done in his name."

“Respectfully, Nana must know that he cannot reach the Presidency standing on the ashes of a divided, demoralised and disgraced NPP," the medical Doctor advised.

Baako, however, told private FM station, Joy, Saturday, on Newsfile that he has never seen nor heard Akufo-Addo preach violence in all the four decades he has known him.

His assertion was, however, challenged by deputy Ministers John Jinapor and Felix Ofosu Kwakye, who were co-guests on the same programme.

They both made references to Akufo-Addo’s “all-die-be-die” statement, which he made in the Eastern Region, during the 2012 election campaign, in an apparent bid to exhort NPP supporters to defend themselves against people who launch physical attacks against them.