Founding President of IMANI Africa Mr Franklin Cudjoe has said that one of the Vice Presidents of the policy think tank, Kofi Bentil remains part of the organization despite declaring his support for one of the flagbearers.
Mr Cudjoe said although individual members of the IMANI are free to speak their minds, these wishes and preferences will always be overridden by the collective mandate they have carved for the organization.
In a statement, he said “IMANI has enormous respect for all flagbearers of political parties.
“Our individual wishes and preferences however expressed or communicated will always be overridden by the collective mandate we have carved for the organisation, in putting out objective, independent analysis and critique on many issues within an environment that guarantees individual freedom and liberty.
“In this light, Mr. Kofi Bentil, whose personal political views were expressed about a preference for a candidate in this year’s election, remains an integral part of IMANI.”
Mr Bentil had said he does not doubt that Dr Bawumia will be a better president, a comment that generated heated argument in the political space.
In a Facebook post, the private legal practitioner said “Every man deserves a fair hearing. We gave Prez Mahama a chance to be President, the least we can do is give Dr Bawumia a fair and objective hearing.
“He is not President and has never been President! I have no doubt he will be better! The VP position in Ghana, apart from standing in when the president is away (and he can’t make any serious decisions), it is totally powerless! he is like an advisor! There’s a good reason Kwame Nkrumah refused to have a Vice President!
“Indeed, the Minister of Finance has more constitutional power than the VP in managing our finances and the EMT has zero power to affect its decisions. They advise the President who acts through his ministers!”
“Accept this truth and spare yourself the ordeal of trying to whitewash a failed and discredited economic messiah, who has proven to be hopelessly empty and pathetically dishonest.”
By Laud Nartey
