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Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, has alleged that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has rejected several international invitations which would have featured him (Akufo-Addo) sharing the podium with former President John Dramani Mahama.

Commenting on the ex-president's "no show" during the country's 63rd Independence Day Celebrations which took place in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region and the viral image of an empty chair with his (ex-President John Dramani Mahama’s) name embossed on it, Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, who failed to provide an explanation as to why his boss could not show up, stated on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, President Akufo-Addo feels intimidated by the presence of his political adversary at official functions.

“President Akufo-Addo has rejected several invitations that Mahama has been featured on; both local and international programs. You should know how the President takes some of these things; someone like that feels that if he is at an event and you come there, you will take away his shine and so he does not feel comfortable to see you around".

"You may recall an incident where the President deliberately avoided a handshake with the former President at an event to honor the late Kofi Annan . . . The truth is that the President is not comfortable seeing John Dramani Mahama in his presence . . . There are some international programs that the President declines the invitation for the fact that the former President will be at the same function,” he alleged.

'Childish' & 'Flippant'

But a Deputy Minister for Information, Pius Enam Hadzide, speaking on the same platform said if former President Mahama’s reason for not showing up at the 63rd Independence celebration was because President Akufo-Addo refused to exchange pleasantries at a state function, then it was “childish”. 

“That cannot be the basis for making a decision to shun a national celebration, an important event on the calendar of Ghana like the Independence anniversary; that the President didn’t shake hands with John Mahama. It cannot be correct . . . that is a flippant excuse and childish,” he stated.

The Deputy Information Minister also dismissed the allegation that GTV deliberately failed to provide coverage of former President Mahama's arrival at the 62nd Independence Day celebration in Tamale.

“It is not true that someone instructed GTV not to give the former President John Mahama any coverage . . . in fact, GTV can prove the several coverages they gave to John Mahama sitting close to former President Rawlings,” Mr Hadzide stated.