Mahama, Akufo- Addo, Bawumia Eulogise Aliu Mahama

 

President John Mahama, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia yesterday took turns to pay tributes to the late former Vice President, Aliu Mahama.

It was during the 13th commemorative prayers for the late former Vice President at his residence at the Switchback Road, Cantonments, Accra, when President Mahama paid tributes to the deceased.

Speaking on behalf of the President, Imam Ahmed Umar Sanda described the late former Vice President as a good man who dealt with people irrespective of their persuasions.

He expressed condolences to the Aliu Mahama family in Yendi, Tamale and Accra.

He promised to stand with the family and that at an appropriate time he would call on them.

President Mahama was represented at the prayer session by Alhaji Collins Dauda and Imam Ahmad Umar Sanda, Ghana’s Ambassador to Mali and Mauritania.

Former President Akufo-Addo recalled his relationship with Aliu Mahama before and when both of them were in government, and said he was a generous man who worked hard for their government. He also remembered him as a man of humility and integrity.

“His death continues to fill me with sadness. God calls us when he is ready not when we are,” he said, adding that “I am grateful to his children for remembering him.”

Former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, recalled his childhood days when the late former Vice President “used to visit my father Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia when I was growing up in Tamale. The late Aliu Mahama was then a student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

“Anytime he came visiting my father, I waylaid him when he was leaving because I was assured of he giving me something.”

He said the late former Vice President spoke on his behalf at the National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when his name came up for consideration as a running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo.

When he was eventually made a running mate, he said the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama led him on the campaign rounds “and literally held my hands as we went on campaign tours. He knew a lot of people whom he introduced me to. He was my political mentor and guided me in my political journey.

“Farouk, his son, is my brother and would remain so. What happened on November 16 thirteen years ago is like it happened a few weeks ago. May Allah grant him paradise.”

It was a wonderful gathering of persons from diverse backgrounds; Muslims, Christians, National Democratic Congress (NDC), NPP and varying ethnic groupings, which spoke a lot about how Ghanaians do not brook ethnic and religious bigotry.

Present was a former Speaker of Parliament, Sekyi Hughes, among other dignitaries.

 

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