Ghanaian President John Mahama has ordered the immediate recall of the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Ahmed, following allegations of irregularities during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Ayawaso East Constituency.
In a statement released Saturday in Accra, the Presidency explained that the decision was prompted by Ahmed’s dual role as both a contesting aspirant in the primaries and a serving public officer.
The statement noted that public officials are expected to adhere strictly to the government’s Code of Conduct for Political Appointees.
“The recall takes effect immediately and is intended to safeguard the integrity of public office and uphold the standards of conduct expected of political appointees,” the statement said.
The move comes amid allegations of vote buying and voter inducement during the NDC primaries held in the constituency. While similar claims were reportedly made against other aspirants, the Presidency emphasized that Ahmed’s diplomatic position demanded decisive action to avoid any appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.
President Mahama also referenced a public announcement by the NDC’s General Secretary, which confirmed that the party had begun an internal investigation into the alleged misconduct.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes, and strictly in view of the standards of conduct expected of public officers, the President considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office,” the statement added.
In addition, the President instructed the Minister for Foreign Affairs to take all necessary administrative and diplomatic steps to implement the recall immediately.
