President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has strongly refuted the authenticity of Agyapadeɛ, the so-called tribal and family manifesto, labelling it as a fabricated piece of misinformation intended to damage his political reputation.
Speaking at the Ghana Report Summit on Thursday (1 August 2024), President Akufo-Addo highlighted the threat that false information poses to democratic processes, especially in the lead-up to national elections.
The Ghana Report Summit took place under the theme “Dealing with Misinformation and Disinformation – Election 2024”.
Allegations in “Agyapadeɛ”
The controversial “Agyapadeɛ” purports to reveal a grand scheme by a group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to annex state assets.
The document has been in circulation in both old and social media. Many current events in Ghanaian politics are mentioned in the document, making it seem authentic to readers.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the document is nothing more than a fabrication, circulated by opposition operatives to falsely implicate the NPP in unscrupulous activities.
He said that the baseless accusations are part of a larger, malicious strategy, aimed at undermining his credibility and integrity.
Historical patterns of misinformation
“This baseless accusation is yet another example of the malicious tactics used to undermine my credibility and integrity,” President Akufo-Addo declared, citing past elections when he was similarly targeted with false and defamatory stories.
“In the run-up to the 2008, 2012 and 2016 presidential elections,” he said, “I was a target of numerous false and malicious stories attacking my credibility and integrity.
“In 2008, baseless allegations of drug trafficking were spread, along with numerous rumours about my health, intended to cast doubt on my ability to serve as president,” the president said.
