Anti-corruption advocate Vitus Azeem has voiced criticism against Kwasi Nyantakyi, the former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), for his intention to contest the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary in the Ejisu constituency of the Ashanti region.
Azeem has raised moral concerns regarding Nyantakyi‘s candidacy, highlighting the lingering allegations of corruption that could tarnish his suitability for political office. While there are no legal barriers to Nyantakyi’s candidacy, Azeem emphasized the importance of considering the ethical implications of his bid.
During an interview on Citi News on April 3, 2024, Azeem advised Nyantakyi to carefully weigh the potential consequences before proceeding with his political aspirations.
“Whether he has been prosecuted or not, it is a dent on him and it cannot easily be wiped away. It may not be possible to legally bar him from contesting but as somebody interested in parliament, he should even consider contesting for an election.
“It is not even the fact that you come out to admit that you paid money but the mere fact that at the very beginning, he was the key player in the Anas investigations and even though he has not been investigated and prosecuted, he too has not been able to exonerate himself and has now implicated himself by admitting that he paid money to Anas to stop him from airing the exposé because it contained information that will further implicate him. If he has a conscience, he should not stand,” citinewsroom.com quoted him to have said.
The Ejisu parliamentary seat has become vacant following the passing of Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Finance, John Kumah.