John Mahama

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has finally spoken on the infamous ‘Akyem Sakawa Boys’ tag in reference to the Agyapa Deal.

Speaking exclusively on Accra- based Class FM, monitored by Adomonline.com, the former President said he doesn’t come across as an ethnocentric politician.

“I am not an ethnocentric politician. I rather believe that we must be an inclusive society and so I have never discriminated against anybody. I will be the last person to ever make such comments,” he said.

According to him, he never called anyone ‘Akyem Sakawa’, adding that he only reposted a statement by Isaac Adongo.

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“I didn’t say anybody was ‘Akyem Sakawa’, I read a post by Isaac Adongo, he made very good arguments and actually, my mind was on the body and the point he raised and made.

“It didn’t come to me as anything I thought about. The arguments he made there was very cogent, and that is why I reposted it. If we say Italian mafia, does it mean all Italians are mafia?” he quipped.

Reacting to the ban by the Akyem youth, Mr Mahama said: “Nobody bans anybody from a town. We shouldn’t go there. If anyone said they are going to ban anybody from coming to their town, what kind of people are we going to have?”

He said there are many Akyem people in his party and he won’t say anything to insult them.

This comes after a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Okyeman and Okyeman Youth, took to the streets on Wednesday at Asamankese in the Eastern region to demonstrate against Mr Mahama for allegedly describing them as ‘Akyem Sakawa Mafias’.

The group gave a 72-hour ultimatum to demand a retraction and an apology from the NDC flagbearer.