I personally witnessed Akufo-Addo’s chair being assigned a V8 – Mahama’s aide

Mahama’s aide jabs Akufo-Ado over profligacy

Edudzi believes citizens should not fund president’s spirituality

Lawyer Edudzi Kudzo Tamekloe has admitted his shock when years ago he witnessed the truth about how President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s presidential chair was allocated a V8 to transport it to public functions across the country.

Speaking last week on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme, the aide to former President John Dramani Mahama said he initially did not believe the truth of reports to that effect until he attended a function where the reality unfolded before his eyes.

“The President assigns V8 to carry his chair. In fact, initially, I thought it was not true until I saw it. The first time when I saw it myself I was shocked, (it was) at the burial grounds of a retired Supreme Court judge.

“I went with John Mahama, when the president came, obviously he is the last person to come. A whole V8 is dedicated to a chair, with the driver and a guard. That whole V8 is assigned to carrying the President’s chair,” he lamented.

Asked what the problem was with the issue by the host of the programme, he replied by asking if “regional coordinating councils cannot get a chair for the president?

“We are getting to the point of insanity. What is the justification for assigning a whole V8 to carry a chair? Who should be funding the presidential spirituality?” he quizzed.

Presidential seat and controversy

In August 2000, the presidential chair became topical after netizens pointed out in a series of photos that the President used a particular chair at all public events whenever and wherever he travelled nationwide.

This came after pictures of him at different radio stations on a regional tour saw him use the particular chair.

During Akufo-Addo’s tour in the North East Region at the time, he visited PAD 95.1 FM for an interview along with his presidential seat. The usual studio seat, according to the picture making rounds, was shifted aside, and replaced with his.

Also, during his visit over the weekend in the Ashanti Region, his presidential seat was taken along with him for an interview with Wontumi Radio Station among others.

There have been mixed reactions since the pictures emerged in the public space, as some say it’s a standard protocol while others have attached spiritual connotations.

Gabby Otchere-Darko, who commented on the Facebook post by Francis Kenndy Ocloo, explained that it was to keep him protected from Coronavirus.