It is unwise and wrong! – Kweku Baako ‘lashes’ chiefs endorsing politicians

Veteran journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr has descended heavily on chiefs who have endorsed one politician or another, describing their decisions to openly engage in active partisan politics as “unwise”, “wrong” and “unconstitutional”.

Mr Baako speaking on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme monitored by MyNewsGh.com lashed out at the chiefs for willfully disregarding the constitutional provision that prohibits them from taking part in active partisan politics, appealing to them to let wisdom prevail in their actions and inactions.

“Endorsement here, endorsement there. What is wrong with our chiefs? Don’t they know the constitution debars them from doing that? It’s across the political divide. It’s so wrong. All of them. They should let some wisdom come to bear on [their chieftaincy.]

Mr Baako emphasized that the constitutional provision that bars chiefs from active partisan politics is so clear that there shouldn’t be any disputation about it, noting that when a chief publicly supports a political candidate, it is active politics, something the chiefs ought to know.

“It [the constitutional injunction] is well defined: you cannot do active partisan politics. If you endorse a presidential candidate, whether it is a sitting President or a former President or parliamentarian or whatever openly, in the public space…It is wrong. It’s unconstitutional. Indeed it is unwise. It doesn’t matter your status…Let’s be bold and tell our chiefs this! He asserted.

Several chiefs across the country have in recent times, endorsed one presidential candidate or another. They have typically made the declarations when the candidates pay courtesy calls on them as part of their campaign tours.

Many prominent persons have criticised the chiefs for their actions, explaining that as chiefs, they must be seen as neutral so that they can continue to enjoy the respect and trust from all.

Respected political scientist Professor Ransford Gyampo has said that chiefs must remain neutral so that they can continue to play their mediating roles in times of political disagreements, arguing that it is political suicide for chiefs to be partisan since it undermines their influence and authority in society.