The memorial service to celebrate the late President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills at the Asomdwee Park in Accra was marred by disagreement on Wednesday, July 24.

The confusion erupted after the dismissed deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, overran his scheduled time, delaying the second NDC event at the venue to mark 12 years since President Mills' passing.

Two wreath-laying ceremonies were planned for the day to commemorate the late former President, who died at the 37 Military Hospital in 2012.

The first event, organized by Mr. Anyidoho, ran over its scheduled time, causing delays for the second event organized by the NDC and the JEA Mills Memorial Heritage.

According to the late President's brother, Samuel Atta-Mills, Koku Anyidoho bused in individuals he labeled as fake family members and instructed them to remain, preventing the NDC from starting its program on time.

“You’re not related to this man and anybody could come here and celebrate him. He [Atta Mills] is for the country, so why would you want to clash with us? And as a coward as he is, he ran away and left the people here – the fake family over here," Samuel Atta-Mills explained.

He added, “We didn’t intimidate anybody, but when persuasion fails, force is applied. Indeed, we are at Asomdwee Park, but when we talk to you and you don’t understand, sometimes a little bit of encouragement will make you move.”

In an interview with JoyNews, Mr. Atta-Mills, who also serves as the MP for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem constituency in the Central Region, alleged that Mr. Anyidoho is being supported by ‘powerful individuals.’

“When they advise you and you don’t listen, this is what happens. But Koku should know that he's hiding behind political power. Every political power in this world has an expiration date. A day will come that the political power he is hiding behind will expire,” he stated.

Addressing the incident, the sister of former President Atta Mills, Mercy Araba Ahema Quarshie, described the situation as ugly and disgusting. She insisted that the persons at the earlier ceremony were not their relatives.

“I want to make it clear to everyone that Koku Anyidoho has stepped on the wrong foot by tampering with our brother’s grave without our knowledge. That is unacceptable, and now we are going to deal with him because it is a taboo in our family to do that,” Quarshie stated.

The family of the late president emphasized the importance of consulting them before making any decisions related to the late president’s resting place, condemning Mr. Anyidoho’s actions as disrespectful and unacceptable.