Lawyers to Nana Akufo-Addo, a presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana, have confirmed that Melanie Spencer, who is related to the presidential candidate’s wife, is married to controversial Ghanaian oil tycoon, Kevin Okyere, a player in a web of corruption centered on the activities of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
SaharaReporters also suggested that Mr. Okyere is a major financier of Mr. Akufo-Addo’s presidential campaigns.
In a rejoinder to a report by SaharaReporters, lawyers representing Mr. Akufo-Addo confirmed the marital ties between Ms. Spencer and the Ghanaian oil tycoon, but also demanded retraction of our earlier report that described the extent of political links Mr. Okyere and his questionable global business operations.
In an earlier report, SaharaReporters focused on the activities of Ms. Spencer who is the target of an investigation by law enforcement agents attached to the National Crime Agency (NCA). The NCA has seized £10,000 from Ms. Spencer, whose residence in the UK is a property owned by Kevin Okyere, her husband.
Subsequent reports published by SaharaReporters disclosed that Ms. Spencer is the niece of Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the wife of presidential aspirant Akufo-Addo. Mr. Akufo-Addo is campaigning for the Ghanaian Presidency in elections scheduled for 2016.
In the rejoinder Mr. Akufo-Addo’s lawyers stated, “Kevin Okyere is married to a niece of Rebecca Akufo-Addo’s,” but denied that that Mr. Okyere was a major financier of Mr. Akufo-Addo’s presidential campaign.
The full text of the rejoinder is published below:
