Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa claims the fiery statement by the Attorney-General, Martin Amidu in response to what he (A-G) says are publications by pro-government newspapers to run him down, has given the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) a lifeline as the NPP is trying to resurrect from a heavily bruised and dangerously damaged credibility.

The A-G in a press release last Wednesday described sections of the pro-government media as “a partisan and rented NDC press group who perceive that I am not performing the duties of my office in their partisan political interests.” He accused the Daily Post, National Democrat and the Ghanaian Lens of allowing themselves to be used by an unnamed colleague minister of state.

According to Mr Martin Amidu, a colleague Minister of State has connived to unleash the gullible section of the NDC press on him [Mr Amidu].

“…I wish core members and supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who cherishes the principles of and ideas upon which the party was founded to know that the attacks against me which started in the Daily Post publication on the 3rd January 2012 was planned by a colleague Minister of state who perceived that my integrity and professionalism as a lawyer was a threat to the concealment of gargantuan crime against the people of Ghana in which they must be implicated. An alibi was created in 30th December 2011 to unleash the gullible section of the NDC press on me by the leakage of official documents from my Ministry through the perverse section of a rented NDC press to the public beginning the 3rd of January 2012.

That has back fired because the leaked official documents by the Daily Post; the Informer; the National Democrat; the Ghanaian Lens; etc have rather inadvertently supported my honesty and integrity in public office and my call for the prosecution of criminals regardless of their political party colorations or their social status…,” the statement partly read.

The statement, he said, was necessitated by calls expressing support and urging caution for his safety, a reaction to publications that he is a big disappointment and an albatross hanging around the neck of the Better Ghana agenda and his perceived refusal to prosecute many cases submitted to him in court.

But the A-G’s statement has been condemned by NDC loyalists with some calling for his dismissal for failing to use internal party structures to address his grievances.

Indeed, quite remarkably, on Monday January 16th, not less than 7 pro-government newspapers (Daily Post, National Democrat, Ghanaian Lens, The Informer, Daily Democrat, The Catalyst, and The Crystal Clear Lens), rolled out with a similar screaming headline “A-G Martin Amidu Must Go”.
 

 
A-G, Martin Amidu
Speaking to the issue as a panelist on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji, the Deputy Information Minister said Mr Martin Amidu’s statement could lead to the NPP claiming their fears that President Mills is engaged in a cover-up are true. To him, there is inherent bitterness in the A-G’s statement and appealed to him to “hold his cool” since things done in anger have destroyed nations, wrecked homes and even led to the death of others.

Sounding quite philosophical, Okudzeto Ablakwa said “when there is no enemy within, the enemy outside cannot harm you” and stressed that the NDC as one family, “flow together” and “sink together” and so must be “interested in protecting this ship’.

“…this is a political party that have been saying that President Atta Mills is engaged in a cover up; that this EOCO investigations is intended to cover up…when there is no enemy within, the enemy outside cannot harm you…Martin Luther said in the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends…We all have a lot of respect for Mr. Martin Amidu. We can only appeal that he should hold his cool, hold his heart; a lot of things done in anger have destroyed nations and wrecked homes and even killed people…that is what anger can do and when you read the statement you can feel a sense of anger. I don’t think those attacks are justified and if it was really orchestrated by somebody, it must be condemned. We as members of the NDC must remember that we are one family; we flow together and we sink together and we must be interested in protecting this ship…we must watch our hearts and control out temper,” he said.

The Dep Information Minister further stated that President Mills has himself come under a barrage of criticisms by some of these same pro-government newspapers yet he never wrote any statement like what the Attorney General penned down, and therefore called on the A-G and all NDC appointees to have a ‘thick skin’ since criticisms cannot be avoided. He however was of the view that the Woyome scandal is one hurdle that could work against President Mills re-election.

“I honestly think that this whole Woyome affair is causing enough headaches and could be the singular most debilitating hurdle that could work against the re-election of Professor Mills and so every conduct and every statement on this matter must be watched. This is the time for a lot of maturity…” Okudzeto added.

The UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit is predicting a slim victory for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), if the 2012 general elections were held today.

According to the Unit's analysis for its monthly review for December 2011, the 2012 election looks to be a repeat of the 2008 election, where President Mills defeated Nana Akufo-Addo by less that 1% of the vote after going to a second round.

“Overall, the Economist Intelligence Unit puts Mr Mills and the NDC as the very slight favourites for election victory, although an NPP victory is entirely possible,” it noted.

The Unit also took into consideration the recent Synovate poll where both the NDC and the NPP have been quick to jump on the poll results, with the former dismissing the results as doubtful and the latter accepting them as "encouraging".

The Synovate poll, conducted in September 2011 put Mr Akufo-Addo ahead, with 48% of those surveyed intending to vote for him compared with 41% for Mr Mills. This national figure masked regional variations. For example, Mr Akufo-Addo was behind Mr Mills in the Greater Accra Region, with support of 37% to Mr Mills' 46%. Greater Accra is a key region in any presidential poll, given the size of the population.