By Abiola Olawale
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has officially recalled Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, H.E. Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed.
The recall comes in the wake of grave allegations involving “vote-buying” and electoral interference.
Mahama’s decision was in response to claims that delegates were induced during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries.
Jamal was a candidate in the polls, which he later won.
It was gathered that during the election, Jamal’s campaign team allegedly offered 32-inch televisions and boiled eggs to delegates who took part in the primaries.
Jamal confirmed that television sets had been distributed but rejected claims that the act amounted to vote buying.
“So if you give television sets to people, what is wrong with it when you give things to people?” he asked, according to local media Joy Online.
“Is this the first time I am giving things to people?”
Following the development, Mahama announced the recall of Jamal.
Explaining the reason behind Jamal’s recall, Felix Ofosu, Mahama’s spokesperson, said that while the allegations of vote buying were made against multiple candidates who contested the primaries, Jamal was the only serving public officer among them.
“The President has also noted the public statement by the General Secretary of the NDC indicating that the Party has commenced its own investigations into the allegations arising from the primaries,” the statement reads.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes, and strictly in view of the standards of conduct expected of public officers, the President considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office and to avoid any perception of impropriety or conflict with the Government’s Code of Conduct for Political Appointees.”
Ofosu said the high commissioner’s recall takes effect immediately, and that directives had been issued to the minister for foreign affairs to take the necessary administrative steps.
