Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, Professor Randsford Gyampo wants the Member Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso, Professor Kingsley Nyarko, to produce the evidence he has against him for allegedly stating that then candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo could never be president of Ghana.

This comes on the back of a comment made by the Kwadaso MP on Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Wednesday, 31 May 2023.

The Kwadaso MP had asserted during the interview that the Political Science lecturer had written the then candidate Akufo-Addo off regarding becoming President of Ghana after the latter had condemned the president for requesting for the CV’s of officers of the Electoral Commission (EC).

“He told me that Akufo-Addo cannot be president in this country. He told me, 2016, he told me that he cannot win. If you like put him on-air let him come and deny,” the Kwadaso MP asserted.

Reacting to the Kwadaso MP’s comments in a Facebook post, however, the Political Science lecturer said the facts on the ground do not support Prof Nyarko’s allegations.

“Stop the lies. You are an honorable Member of Parliament. I never told you anywhere in 2016 that Akufo-Addo cannot be President of Ghana. If you claim I did and you have the evidence, just bring it out. Indeed, the facts on the ground as at 2016, cannot support your congenital lie,” the Political Science lecturer stated. 

According to Prof Gyampo, Ghanaians are not ignorant of his stance against former President John Dramani Mahama back in 2016.

“Every Ghanaian who is politically switched on, unlike you, knew my stands against John Mahama in 2016. I voted for Akufo-Addo myself and I was one of the loudest critics of the John Mahama regime in a manner that made me earn the tag as being in bed with the NPP. You liked me so much because I took the Mahama government on. A simple check of the records will show,” he noted.

He described the comments of the Kwadaso MP as “madness” indicating that “simply because I am disappointed in the President I voted for in 2016 and have refused to be a partisan sycophant like you, doesn’t mean I hate the President.” 

Prof Gyampo further described the Kwadaso MP as a “coward,” who chooses to criticise his party privately.

“You are a coward. You gossip and criticise your party to me privately. You know that many of the issues I have spoken against the internal conduct of affairs in your party have been given to me from complaints from people like you. 

“Haven’t you for instance always lambasted your party and the President for failing to appoint you a minister or deputy, thinking you most qualify than virtually all the current appointees?” Prof Gyampo quizzed.

“As an academic, you know the principle of academic freedom. You must, therefore, not gossip about your party privately to some of us and publicly pretend all is well. 

“I deny your lies and reject any insinuation from you that I hate the President or have a personal score to settle with him. I am nobody and a common ordinary citizen. My hatred or otherwise for the number [one] citizen of the land is inconsequential and cannot matter. But let’s assume for the purposes of argument that, I told you Nana Addo cannot be President (even though you know I voted for him), have you been satisfied with his Presidency? Why do you always say “hmmm” privately when we talk about his presidency?” Prof Gyampo wrote.

He continued that: “I don’t hate the President. I have only decided to be a citizen, not a spectator. As you have always known me, I am unfortunately unable to be a coward and a sycophant.”

Prof Gyampo added: “The President, I maintain, has no business calling for the CVs of Directors of the Electoral Commission. He cannot be allowed to extend the tentacles of his ‘political-kingkonism’ to an independent body that is currently fighting to overcome its legitimacy deficits. How does saying this, make me hate the President? It is childish for anyone to reason along this line, stop it.”