Mac Manu makes false claim about viral Kufuor video being likely AI-generated

Claim: Viral video of former President Kufuor saying the NPP has sidelined him is likely AI-generated

Source: Peter Mac Manu,  Former NPP National Chairman

Verdict: False!

Researched by Samuel Nii Adjetey

A former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Mac Manu, has suggested that a viral video of former President John Agyekum Kufuor lamenting about being sidelined in the party is likely Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated.

He made this statement in an interview with a GhanaWeb journalist on the sidelines of the party’s National Annual Delegates Conference held on Saturday, July 19, 2025. 

Here is a transcript from the interview: 

Journalist: Do you have anything to say about former President Kufuor’s idea that you guys are leaving him out?

Peter Mac Manu: Oh, it’s not true. It’s not true at all. I was with President Kufuor when we were inaugurating the Patriotic Institute, how many weeks ago? And then, at the National Council meeting, Lawyer Frank Davis debunked that (Kufuor has been sidelined). 

“He said that he and his team went to President Kufuor’s house and spent about three hours with him. So please!

Journalist: What of the video that came out, his interview with Bryan Acheampong?

Peter Mac Manu: I’m an AI person, I can detect fake. Don’t believe everything you see.

Journalist: You think it’s AI?

Peter Mac Manu: Well, don’t believe anything that you see. You’re a journalist, but take this from me: Don’t just swallow things hook, line and sinker, No!. Because in modern times, there are so many fake things flying around. Watch the interview here [Watch from 3:00 – 3:48 seconds], archived here

This fact-check report will verify the claim about likely AI-generated video.

Fact-check

To verify the claim, GhanaFact conducted a keyword search on Google for news on the meeting between the former President and Dr Bryan Acheampong, in which the former President lamented being sidelined by the NPP. 

GhanaFact found a Facebook post of Bryan Acheampong, Member of Parliament for Abetifi constituency, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, highlighting a courtesy call on former President John Agyekum Kufuor, as he declared his intention to contest as the flagbearer. 

Days after sharing the post on his Facebook page, a video began circulating as part of his meeting with the President. 

In the one minute and 45 seconds of the video shared by GhanaWeb, Channel One News, JoyNews, Happy FM and blogs, the ex-President could be heard saying;

“If this party still has elders… I am one of them, have I deteriorated to the point where, after being fed, I’d claim I haven’t eaten? No! I haven’t reached that stage yet. My mind and memory are intact,” he said.

Recounting the NPP’s journey from its ideological roots in the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) through decades of political struggle, Kufuor recalled how the party rose steadily until its defining victory in the year 2000. 

“And now… I’m being sidelined? Ignored? I don’t understand it. I really don’t,” he said.   

Similarly, news websites such as Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, CitiNewsroom, and Asaase Radio have published content from the video on their platforms. 

Member of Bryan’s team confirms viral comment

GhanaFact further contacted a former MP for Anyaa Sowutuom Constituency, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, who was in the meeting between Dr. Bryan Acheampong and former President Kufuor, to clarify whether the former president indeed made the said comments. 

“I wish to state categorically that I was in the presence of Honourable Bryan Acheampong and Former President Kufuor when he stated that, during our visitation, a few days after the decision by NEC to, as it is, call the conference and then hold elections on January 31st. 

“In that meeting, he made it known that, he heard about the meeting’s conclusion on radio like any ordinary party member or any ordinary Ghanaian and for that matter he feels he was not consulted, he feels that, the needed attention, as it is, consultation with him did not happen or he did not get the chance to weigh the issue and advice. This is what transpired, I was there and I heard it,” he clarified. 

“Before the conversation began, he was made aware that we were recording, and we actually put a microphone on his chest. So, it is not a recording that was done without his approval,” he added.  

GhanaFact also ran the video through deepware, a deepfake detection platform, which scanned the video and returned a verdict of NO DEEPFAKE DETECTED. It should, however, be noted that the verdict is only used as tertiary evidence for this report.

The explanation by Dr Adomako Kissi proves that the video of the conversation between Dr Bryan Acheampong and Ex-President Kufuor is authentic and not AI-generated, as Peter Mac Manu claimed.

Verdict

The claim is therefore rated false!