Prominent Ghanaian lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata has filed a lawsuit against the Presidential candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, for alleging that Mr. Tsikata supports former President John Mahama to regain access to state contracts he supposedly benefited from during Mahama’s first tenure.
The defamation suit, filed by Mr. Tsikata’s legal team, led by Tony Lithur of Lithur Brew and Company, seeks damages for what it describes as “egregious falsehoods” that harm Mr. Tsikata’s hard-earned reputation.
Mr. Akpaloo made the controversial remarks during a televised interview on GHOne TV, owned by Dr. Kwabena Duffour’s Excellence in Broadcasting (EIB) Network, which has also been named a co-defendant.
In the November 19, 2024, interview, Mr. Akpaloo alleged that Mr. Tsikata’s endorsement of John Mahama, the 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), stemmed from personal benefits he received during the former President’s administration.
He claimed that Mr. Tsikata’s support was motivated by “getting contracts under Mahama” and “getting the best deals,” insinuating self-interest rather than a genuine belief in Mr. Mahama’s leadership.
Mr. Tsikata, a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and a law lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Faculty of Law, categorically denied the allegations, describing them as baseless and damaging to his integrity.
His legal writ asserts that the statements were false, defamatory, and aimed at tarnishing his reputation in the eyes of the public.
The lawsuit emphasises that the comments paint Mr. Tsikata as a self-serving individual whose views are influenced by personal gain, undermining his credibility as a public figure.
Mr. Tsikata is, therefore, requesting damages as compensation for the harm caused to his reputation due to the severity of Mr. Akpaloo’s defamatory remarks.
The ex-GNPC boss also wants a mandatory retraction and apology from both defendants, published with similar prominence as the original statements.
Additionally, he wants punitive costs awarded against Mr. Akpaloo to serve as a deterrent against such conduct in the future.
He also wants injunctions to ensure the false statements are removed from all digital platforms associated with GHOne TV and EIB Network.
The comments arose after Mr. Tsikata publicly declared his intention to vote for Mr. Mahama, citing the achievements of his past administration as evidence of his competence.
Comparing the performances of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and NDC administrations, Mr. Tsikata stated, “Mahama’s performance is better than what we’ve seen over the past eight years.”
The legal luminary declared his intention to vote for Mahama, citing the achievements of Mahama’s previous tenure as evidence of his competence, particularly in comparison to the performance of the Akufo-Addo administration over the last eight years.
“I’m voting for John Mahama,” Tsikata stated during an interview with Accra-based GHOne TV.
According to Mr. Tsikata, John Mahama’s accomplishments demonstrate his capacity to drive national development. He also emphasised that “the failures of this [NPP] government are clear.”
Reflecting on the NDC administration’s record, the former CEO of GNPC asserted, “Mahama’s performance is better than what we’ve seen over the past four years.”
However, Mr. Akpaloo dismissed these sentiments, attributing them to favouritism and personal gain rather than objective evaluation, sparking the current legal battle.
In an interview on GHOne TV, Kofi Akpaloo argued that Mr. Tsikata praised Mahama primarily because of the benefits he received during Mahama’s time in office.
“He said so because he was getting contracts under Mahama, so why wouldn’t he say that? He was getting the best deals. So, definitely, he will praise Mahama. Those who were getting the goodies will naturally remember him and say such things to praise him,” Akpaloo alleged.
