Akufo-Addo Has Undermined Ghana’s Democracy, He’s Autocratic – Tony Aidoo

Dr. Tony Aidoo, former Ghana Ambassador to the Netherlands, has accused President Akufo-Addo of damaging Ghana’s democratic framework.

He claims that both Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have caused significant harm to the country’s democracy, particularly from the early 2000s to the present.

In an exclusive interview, Dr. Aidoo stated that President Akufo-Addo has undermined the rule of law in Ghana, describing him as a fascist.

Reflecting on an event from 2000, Dr. Aidoo recalled, “When the NPP held its last rally at Mantse Agbona in Accra, Akufo-Addo was one of the speakers. After the rally, Rawlings asked me, ‘What do you think of him?’ and I said he is a fascist.”

Dr. Aidoo further criticized the president’s autocratic leadership, saying, “Look at how he has undermined our constitutional bodies. Where is the independence of the Electoral Commission? The entire judiciary has been compromised.”

He also alleged that the current leadership of the Electoral Commission (EC) is politically biased, stating that the EC Chairperson and her staff “come from the NPP side.” According to Dr. Aidoo, President Akufo-Addo has placed his supporters in the organization, and as a result, “nobody trusts the Electoral Commissioner anymore.”

Speaking about the NPP’s political roots, Dr. Aidoo emphasized that the United Party (UP) tradition, from which the NPP traces its origins, has always been associated with violence, which fuels his disdain for the NPP.

Criticizing the Akufo-Addo government, Dr. Aidoo questioned, “What is democratic about them?”

Dr. Tony Aidoo previously served as a senior presidential aide and head of the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit during the tenure of late President Atta Mills from 2009 to 2013. He was also a member of the Cabinet’s Economic Management Team for three years.