“I have the president in my pocket” - a cliché attributed to Mr Kwasi Nyantakyi became popular after the Number 12 documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Many believed that statement irked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after he caused the arrest of the then-president of the Ghana Football Association, Mr Kwasi Nyantaky.
After many years, Nyantakyi says he never made that discourteous comment to belittle the president but was falsified to achieve a purpose which they succeeded.
“You see, I never said I have the president in my pocket, ask him [Anas] to provide a tape of that. How could I, I never said that. It was all propaganda.
“I saw cartoons of President Akufo-Addo coming from my packet. It was so disrespectful to do that. I said I know politicians they [fake Sheikhs] can see if they want to invest in Ghana.” Mr Kwasi Nyantaky told Bola Ray on Starr Chat monitored by Peacefmonline.com.
Background
In June 2018, Nyantakyi was captured on film accepting $65,000 in cash from an undercover reporter, who was journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
He was also heard saying “I have the president [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo] in my pocket” while discussing a lucrative deal with some ‘fake Sheikhs’ in Dubai.
The footage was aired by BBC Africa’s investigations unit, Africa Eye. Nyantakyi believed the cash to be part of a sponsorship deal for the Ghana FA, an organization he had been presiding over since 2005.
However, the deal was initiated by the reporters aimed at exposing Nyantakyi’s alleged misconduct.
As a result of the documentary’s revelations, Nyantakyi lost his positions as FIFA Council Member and 1st Vice President of CAF, the Confederation of African Football.
<<Print>>