Former Trade and Industry Minister in the erstwhile Mahama led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah says the founder of his party, former President Rawlings has his own right to express his view on the cause of the party’s defeat in the 2016 general elections.
According to him, former President Rawlings’ claims may be included in the fact findings of Kwesi Botchwey’s committee report but added it will be appropriate for the party hierarchy to wait for the final report of the committee before drawing conclusions on the cause of defeat.
The founder of the NDC said the party lost the 2016 elections because it betrayed the values of June 4.
He stated that if the blame game cannot be resolved conclusively, then parties have to step aside and allow for fresh leaders with solid integrity to provide the needed leadership.
“If we cannot get our claws off and allow for fresh leadership to emerge then we shall sink further,” he stated
Reacting to this on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, Dr. Spio-Garbrah said Mr. Rawlings is entitled to his claims on the cause of NDC’s defeat in the 2016 elections but stressed that Kwesi Botchwey’s report may extend further to other causes of the party’s defeat in last year’s election.
“Matters of this nature in our party, Kwesi Botchwey’s Committee has been established to find answers and the cause of our defeat. It is possible the Committee’s report may support the claims of Rawlings that corruption and greed caused our defeat but as the report is not available, I will wait for the report,” he asserted.
He stressed that “it may be that the money meant for certain places for the campaign did not reach them and our communication team was poor or organization of polling stations management was also poor.”
He maintained that it is not one reason which may have caused the defeat of the NDC as former President Rawlings as narrowed it on only greed and corruption.
“There may be so many causes of our defeat in the election, as some of the Parliamentary candidates may also be contributory factors with their attitudes towards electorates. All I will say is that we have to wait for the report,” he urged
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