Former Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has called on the government to pardon former Ghana Football Association [GFA] president, Kwesi Nyantakyi.
The state dragged Mr Nyantakyi to court after he was caught on video using the name of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to solicit for funds.
However, a movement to have the State pull the plugs on its prosecution of the former GFA President has received an endorsement from Premier League and Division One League clubs.
The petition, which is aimed at seeking presidential clemency for the embattled lawyer, is currently being passed around for signatories.
The petition, which is the brainchild of Kofi Manu, also known as Blue Boy, a known loyalist of Mr Nyantakyi, has so far received an overwhelming endorsement from clubs.
And according to Mr Vanderpuye, the former CAF’s 1st vice president and FIFA Executive Council member must be granted pardon.
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“I have heard a movement has started calling on the government to pardon Kwesi Nyantakyi and I am told Kofi Manu is leading that crusade. I think the government must welcome that and grant him [Kwesi Nyantakyi] a pardon,” the Member of Parliament for Odododiodio constituency told Asempa FM on the Ultimate Sports Show.
“I think he did a great job as GFA president but we had our differences when I came to office. I did not endorse some of the things they were demanding but that does not mean we are enemies. He is my friend.
“We worked with him and met recently and he looks good but I think the government must give him a second chance. We cannot throw such a person away,” he added.
Under Mr Nyantakyi’s reign as the President of the GFA, the Black Stars qualified to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2006 and won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
Subsequently, the Black Stars played in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups before he resigned in 2018.