JJ Roots For Konadu

Mr & Mrs Rawlings are former first couple in Ghana

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Accra, Wednesday October 10, 2012.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings appears to have dumped the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party he founded, for the newly created and breakaway National Democratic Party (NDP) being led by his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.

 “I would support her as I do for a good number of candidates. If she intends to stand for the new party, I guess it might be right for her to resign from the NDC,” he told journalists.

President Rawlings gave the interview after attending a public lecture delivered by the former President of Botswana, Festus G. Mogae in Accra yesterday.

The lecture themed “Credible elections and governance in Africa,” was organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) as part of its contribution towards ensuring credible, free and fair elections.

Asked if he will support the NDP, Mr Rawlings said he will throw his hat into the ring for any party with credibility indicating that the NDC lacks that will.

He said “frankly I will support any party with a high level of credibility and integrity, and that I know they (NDP) have.’

However, he was quick to add: “That doesn’t mean I am leaving the NDC either.”

Mr Rawlings has accused the NDC government of endemic corruption. He said the appointees are stealing the people’s resources.

The NDP has been formed by disgruntled members of the NDC and there is strong suspicion that the former first Family is behind its formation but they (Rawlingses) have not officially claimed responsibility.

As if that is not enough, his wife Nana Konadu on Monday allegedly picked forms to become flag bearer of the NDP after what the new party’s executive claimed were incessant appeals from the grass root supporters to get her to contest on their ticket.

Immediately the lecture ended at the Holiday Inn Hotel, journalists swam the NDC founder like bees wanting to know about the developments in the NDC vis-a-vis the NDP.

The former President who was about to leave the premises said “even if she should to be quite honest, when you have walked in her shoes since 79, I would support her as etc you might probably be doing what she is doing.”

Asked whether it was prudent for his wife to take such a decision at this crucial moment, Mr. Rawlings said “If you walked in her shoes and the fact that so many of these parties have lost the moral high ground you would understand why she is probably doing what she is doing.”

He said that even if what Nana Konadu is embarking upon “does not amount too much, the very fact that they are putting together a party with a high level of moral credibility is an investment for the future.”

Mr Rawlings dropped the hint that Nana Konadu would contest for the presidency. “Even if they do not make it would be a learning phase that Ghanaians would have to go through.”

In what looked like a direct attack on the ruling NDC, the former President said “We started off with high values and on a very high moral grounds and in a matter of time we seem to have lost the moral high ground and it is very difficult for some of us.”

He was however evasive about whether he and his wife are behind the formation of the NDP, except to say that he was ready “to support any party with high level of credibility and integrity and the NDP seems to possess those qualities.”