Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba has rebuff attempts by some members of the vetting committee to impress on her to apologize to former President John Dramani Mahama for comments she made a couple of months ago.
Madam Afisah Djaba was emphatic to the committee that she owes the former president no apology when she was referred to what Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyin, MP for Tamale North constituency labeled as “unfortunate and unpalatable” statement made against the former president.
The nominee is reported to have made some scathing comments about former President Mahama in the line up to the 2016 general elections.
The polyglot minister-designate was quoted to have said “President Mahama's time is up...President Mahama is extremely wicked and so he must step down...He has the heart of the devil. We need change, we need someone is passionate about this country. You have to vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo. We need change this year. Your time is up President Mahama,”
“…You have to step down this year so Nana Addo can take over the management of this country,'' She told a teeming crowd of NPP supporters during the campaign season last year.
But Madam Otiko, who is related to the former president, said her comments were made without any malice intended.
Asked if she would apology for her comments, Madam Afisa Djaba said she has no apology to render.
“The president is my brother and I spoke from my convictions. I made the statement as a wakeup call for him. We are building a nation and he [John Mahama] was running for re-election and I felt the people who should tell him as it is were not telling him as it was,” she said.
Madam Otiko further explained that “When I said the president was an embarrassment, I referred to SADA. SADA is very dear to my heart. The incident of poverty in the three Northern region where my mother comes from is very high. But the president who comes from the North did nothing to help the region. It was an embarrassment”
“I don’t owe him [President Mahama] or you [Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyin] any apology. We are developing and building a nation” she firmly said.
However, the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu interjected and in some way attempt to corece Madam Otiko to retract and apologize to the former president.
But the nominee, who is also the NPP's National Women's Organizer, strongly rebuff the call and maintained that “I don’t regret my comment. The president embarrassed Northerners and their chiefs have complained bitterly about that. When I talked about his [Ex-Prez Mahama] wickedness, Ghanaians were crying due to Dumsor and high tariffs.”
When asked to dissociate herself from those words by the ranking member, she quizzed - “Are you trying to say that we cannot criticize? Are you saying that I don’t have my right to speak? My words weren’t an insults, it was a criticism!”
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007
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Who is otiko that mahama need her apology? is just a question that the panel ask her. Tweeeaaaa Otiko should by now be looking at the task ahead and stop bragging that she would owe no apology to mahama. Does mahama need your apology? tweakaeee. Common Gender minister you are bragging wonder if you were foreign, trade and industry etc what you would have do. Wonder how this woman can protect children in the street with this attitude.
Her words may be a a little rude, but she managed to justify them just as our politicians does always.djabah is a strong lady and stood her grounds as such. This was the very stance we expected prof. Doodo to take before the parliamentary disciplinary committee when he addressed them to be ***barred word*** over the Ebola issue. Is high time we speak truth to power. I spoke mind and she can't be forced to apologize.
Ghanaians started regretting for dropping president Mahama so Afisah is putting plans with her team members to install him back as our president. started saying NDC Allah know of them not NPP.
The NPP leadership should not fear that Ghanaians will be angry with them if they put ndc in their rightful place(jail)...go on the streets and everyone wants the npp to show action and shdnt tolerate the ***barred word*** by these propagandists in ndc...the sort of questions the minority members on the Appointments committee ask are soo shallow its depressing.I really was impressed with madam Otiko Djaba with her responses to the questions.Very sharp woman ...very confident and she definitely serves as a role model for our young women and girls.
Very articulate, intelligent and stands by her convictions...Oh God we thank you soo much for bringing the NPP to power..indeed you are GOD!...and for the NDC they are using the same old tactics of propaganda even in opposition...they are out of their depth...they will surely stay in opposition for a very long time!Madam Otiko Djaba the people of Ghana are behind you 100%..we voted for the NPP!...if u dont like it...u know what you gotta do...
NDC MEMBES U HAILED MZBELL AND OTHERS WITH ALL UR 32 TEETH WITH SOME OF THE TEETH VERY BAD AND U WANT TO BRING IT TO OTIKO ABI GOD DON PONISH U
Time alone will tell. This woman that is been applauded by some fanatics for her rude and insulting behavior will be the archiles hill of the NPP very soon
Hahaha you too sleep plus Nana de Plagiarist for position? I laugh enter zongo ministry
Hahahahahahaha aaaaa ndc are short of human resources after their heavy defeat they think they can use some nominees by the president to swallow a humble pie by apologizing to John mahama odwanfunu for them to use that against the NPP to convince the electorates that NPP lied about John Mahama look! These people take every Ghanaian as st*pid like those who vote for them to create,l*ot and share? Aaaah I feel like throwing up ! Ndc nothing will work good for you. Who told you Suhuyini,Ablakwah,Mahama Ayariga can convince the Ghanaian people to listen and believe you? They voted against you not because of what NPP said but what you did to them,did NPP tell you to ste*l,be arrogant,to speak lies? Did the NPP tell you ndc to destroy the NHIS,cause mass unemployment? You are just fo*ls. The good people of Ghana just did Sankofa,they compared you ndc in power and NPP before and found d NPP were far better than you so brought them to investigate,prosecute and if found guilty jail you idi*ts and nothing will save you. Get over it for the NPP are going to do what the people sent them to do unlike you who did what your party told you to do. I can't wait to see these people jailed, NPP you are giving them more time to fo*l around. We the people don't have patience for their nons*nsense being displayed. Ndc will stay in opposition for 40 years. Their founder himself knows they are liars and thi*ves hence he has disowned them.
AFTER SLEEPING WITH MOST OF THE MEN IN THE NPP, YOU NOW A MINISTER. NO PROBLEM, WE LIVE TO SEE. CONTINUE SLEEPING WITH EVERY MAN FOR MORE APPOINTMENTS.