Who does Otchere-Darko think He is? …Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu opens fire, patronizes Akufo-Addo again

By Justice Dzido On Nov 16, 2022

Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has challenged the founder and former Executive Director of political think-tank, Danquah Institute; Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, to make known his locus standi in the current New Patriotic party (NPP) Government led by Nana Akufo-Addo for which he thinks he is fit to get involved in Party and Government related businesses.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, speaking on Kumasi based Sompa Radio on Tuesday alleged that he had been accused by Gabby Otchere-Darko of being behind the ongoing agitations for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is yet to provide evidence to prove the claim he is making against Otchere-Darko but has said it is not true he is behind the ‘Get Ken Out’ agitations.

Mr. Otchere-Darko has flatly denied the allegations from Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and said he had told his accuser on the face that his allegations were false.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told the radio station he had been bending over backwards and going the extra mile to resolve the impasse between the agitating Parliamentarians and the Finance Minister therefore he feels disappointed to have heard the alleged accusation from Gabby Otchere-Darko.

A vexed sounding Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted:

“From nowhere, Gabby Otchere-Darko goes on his radio station to say I am the one behind all what is going on because I want to be Finance Minister. I want to be Finance Minister? These are people who are causing divisions when we are trying to unite and that is what has resurrected the new noise.

“That Gabby Otchere-Darko , who does he think he is ? Who does he want to show us he is? Me, it is Akufo-Addo I am serving. I am serving the party and the NPP Government…When we talk about this Government itself, what is your locus? Why are you saying Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is behind the agitations? I spoke about this somewhere yesterday and when I got home I realized I was not feeling well”.

He continued: “We would have been worse off if I had not involved myself and our brothers had not agreed to even listen to me.. Today 15^th November is the date we had scheduled to have read the budget but when I studied the situation, it was clear that we may not be prepared for the budget today and if we are not careful it could bring problems so I told the Finance Minister we should postpone the budget it to 24^th so things would be calm for us.

“I the person doing this peace brokering, you take me to your radio station to say that I am the one behind the agitations.. What would be the results if I wash my hands and stay away. He himself has gone to sit at his own radio station and written something for someone to say that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu would lose if he stands again for Suame that is why he is doing what he is doing and has said he won’t contest again”, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu added.

For whatever reasons, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu narrated on the live radio show, an incident he claimed had happened some six years ago in 2016 in which he said President Akufo-Addo had believed in him to an extent that the President was even ready to have openly taken sides in his favour and openly campaign for him during the Suame Constituency NPP parliamentary primaries.

“You Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, have you ever contested for elections. In 206, these same people threw their weights behind others and said if Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu wins the primaries he would lose the seat. I won the elections. It did not work for them. I had the confidence of the President who a few days before the primaries told me he wanted to come and talk to my people on my behalf.

“The President was very worried and he wanted to come to Suame because of me but I insisted he should not come. After the elections, the persons Gabby Otchere-Darko and his people supported all the three of them, when you add their votes, it was not up to half of my votes. I don’t know what Gabby Otchere-Darko holds against me but I am dealing with the President, dealing with the party and dealing with the Government”, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu narrated.

Mr. Otchere-Darko, in his response to the public accusations from Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, noted via a social media post:

“I have listened to excerpts of the interview of Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, on Sompa Radio, claiming I had gone on Asaase Radio to allege that he was the ringleader behind the NPP MPs calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister. He is also quoted in reports of that interview online as saying that I sponsored a failed candidate against him in the NPP parliamentary primaries leading to the 2016 general elections.

I have since sent him a message on this denying same. But, I consider it necessary to also put my side out publicly.

I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air or online, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.
I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist even within the NPP.