By William
Yaw Owusu
Thursday
August 23, 2018
Former President John Dramani Mahama yesterday
called on former President Jerry John Rawlings to discuss his plans to become the
flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2020
elections.
Sources said the meeting was ostensibly to
seek the blessings of the NDC founder ahead of Mahama’s official declaration to
contest in the flagbearership race in the coming days.
The Mahama 2016 Campaign had ignored
Rawlings, saying that he was an old man whose opinion appears not to matter.
Mr. Mahama’s comeback is being severely
opposed within the party, as many of the stalwarts, particularly those who have
declared their intention to contest him in the primaries, are calling for his
rejection by the NDC to avert another massive defeat in the general elections.
They described him as ‘damaged goods’ who
suffered unprecedented electoral defeat in the annals of the Fourth Republic.
Most of the aspirants and leading
figures in the NDC claimed the former president cannot win an election due to
his poor record when he led the country.
The meeting took place at the North
Ridge Office of Mr. Rawlings in Accra where the two leaders held discussions
about the party, which bordered mainly on the re-organisation of the
party, the upcoming regional and national executive elections, as well as the
presidential primaries in December 2018.
The Office of the NDC Founder later
issued a statement confirming the meeting, which was also attended by Ambassador
Dan Abodakpi, Edward Bawa, Samson Ahi, Dr Donald Agumenu and Dr Kwesi Djokoto
on Mr Rawlings’ side.
Those who accompanied former President
Mahama included former Chiefs of Staff, Julius Debrah, and Prosper Bani, former
Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia and his special aide, Joyce Bawa Mogtari.
“Mr Rawlings was concerned that the political ambition of the aspirants
is overshadowing efforts to reorganize the party after the massive defeat it
suffered in 2016”, the statement said.
“He said he would have wished that more attention was given to the
rebuilding of the party machinery over the prioritization of the party’s presidential
primaries at this moment,” the statement added.
It said “Mr. Rawlings expressed the hope that candidates with the
ability and capacity would be allowed to evolve from the electoral processes in
the party.”
“He stated that he will not be a stumbling block to any candidate
in the upcoming elections.”
“President Rawlings found the recent utterances by the National
Organiser of the party, Kofi Adams, to the effect that a presidential candidate
aspirant in the person of Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin,
was out to destroy the party as inaccurate.”
“He posited that the destruction of the party began especially
when the party unduly interfered in the last competitive presidential primary
elections in Sunyani by the systemic monetization of the process and the
postponement of the congress on two occasions ostensibly to favour one
candidate over the others.”
“Mr. Rawlings also cautioned against party members issuing
statements preventing other presidential aspirants from campaigning in certain
locations as happened in the Ashanti Region recently,” adding “he asserted that
nobody has the authority to issue such fiats in this country.”
The former President called on the party leaders to help restore
the moral stance of the party and be seen condemning utterances which tend to
promote undemocratic tendencies in the party.”
According to the statement, “Mr. Mahama had stated the need to
consult the founder on party issues and commended him for re-energizing the
party’s Council of Elders and participating actively in its meetings.”
“He indicated that a re-energised Council of Elders will instill a
strong sense of order in the party structure,” the statement added.
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