Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga believes the pressure being exerted on him by the Special Prosecutor goes beyond legal issues.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with buying an ambulance or buying vehicles,” he said on JoyNews.

Mr. Ayariga has been dragged to court by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for some alleged acts of corruption.

He is being charged with abuse of office, tax evasion in the clearance of vehicles and illegal transfer of foreign exchange without having the required license.

Mr. Ayariga has denied the claims as the legal tussle between the two has intensified over the months since its inception in March 2019.

Following his unsuccessful attempt to get off the radar of the OSP, the Bawku Central MP is convinced that the brouhaha may be more of a personal vendetta.

Responding to a question of a possible personal reason for the tussle, Mr Ayariga told Evans Mensah on PM Express Tuesday, that “I know but I will not say it on television… I suspect [that it is family-related] because I haven’t had a discussion with him so I cannot say for certain… One or two people have reported to me a complaint made about my conduct. Some are not from family members.

“I think I have a sense of what his issue is, just that I don’t want to go public,” Mr Ayariga explained.

The Bawku Central MP admitted that the father-son relationship between himself and Mr Amidu whom he affectionately describes as an ‘uncle’ has been affected.

“You recall that at a certain point he accused me of sending people to come and beg him, which is not true. Because of him saying that I am his son, people within the family (when they hear that you are investigating this person) will call you.

“He has reported me to people within the context of family and friends in the past, on matters that he alleged that I have done. They have invited me to ask me and I have said no,” he said.

He also revealed that he is still close friends with the children of Martin Amidu, adding that they sympathise with his current disposition with their father.