It is getting increasingly clear that the former President and founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings is on his own and no longer enjoys the loyalty and support that many members of the party had for him.
The perception that the former President is being alienated from a party he founded through his own toil and blood is becoming apparent, following refusal by the NDC leadership and some personalities who at a point in time were ready to sacrifice their lives for him, to come to his aid in times of trouble.
After the leader and flagbearer of the disqualified Great Consolidated Popular Party(GCPP) had mounted a witch-hunting campaign to get the former President indicted in the controversy surrounding a $2M ‘gift’ he was alleged to have received from the late Sani Abacha of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, one would have expected that the NDC would marshal all their arsenals to defend him and protect his integrity.
Not even the cry by the former President that the decision by the GCPP leader to haul him before the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has attracted sympathy from his hard core fans.
Some foot soldiers of the ruling party do not sound amused by the outburst from the former President and are challenging him to make public the so-called officers he claimed were responsible for the attacks on his personality.
Whilst some known ardent supporters of the former President have refused to go on record, claiming reasons of political expediency, others have poured cold water on the claims by Mr. Rawlings.
One of such firebrand foot soldiers, Yakubu Tony Aidoo, says he doubts if any NDC leader or minister would hide behind people to denigrate the former President.
According to him, former President Rawlings is highly regarded in the party and still commands respect as the founder of the NDC and, therefore, it will be very outrageous for him (Rawlings) to claim that someone has been paid to destroy him.
“I am surprised to hear this from President Rawlings; we all cherish and regard him as our father, but to come out and say that some members in the NDC are responsible for attacks on his personality is way overboard,” Yakubu told
The Chronicle in a telephone interview.
He stated that he suspects political foul play, stressing that former President Rawlings could have dealt with this matter amicably by mentioning the names of the personalities involved in the hatched agenda.
“I don’t think President Mahama himself will sit down and allow people to work against Mr Rawlings; he is our party founder and we respect him as such,
Meanwhile William Nlanjerbor JALULAH also reports from Bolgatanga that some residents of Bolgatanga have expressed varied feelings about the $2million ‘gift’ former President Jerry John Rawlings was alleged to have received from the former Nigerian Military leader, General Sani Abacha.
The leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has dragged ex-president Rawlings before the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice over the $2 million gift.
In Bolgatanga, a cross section of residents whose views were sought by this reporter on Tuesday October 18, 2016, had varied views to share.
Cecelia Kolog, a mobile phone credit vendor said: “They should allow the old man to rest. Hasn’t he done enough for this country? I think they are just doing this because his wife broke away from the NDC and formed her own party. I really believe what he has said; his own party people are the ones fueling this matter.”
Another resident who gave his name only as Paul, thought otherwise. He said: “We are in a country governed by laws and if something like this happens and somebody is pursuing the matter, then we must allow the law to be applied.
If Rawlings suspects people in his party are behind the leader of the GCPP, then he should come out with their names. But first of all, he must submit himself before CHRAJ. After all, we are all equal before the law”.
Ben Atia, a tricycle rider, had a different perspective. He wondered why the issue is being brought up now and blamed the media for being responsible for what he called confusion in Ghanaian politics.
“Why should these journaliss do something like this? Why didn’t they say it long ago? Ah! Me I know nothing will happen to him. They are just making noise”, he angrily reacted.
Interestingly, most of the residents who were approached knew little or did not know anything about the gift allegation.
One of such residents was Nsoh Adombire, a second-hand cloth seller. “Massa, me I hear this matter small but I no get time take hear am well well”.
Meanwhile, Mr. DonatusAkamugri, Upper East Regional Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress, in a response, alleged that the decision to haul Mr. Rawlings before CHRAJ was fueled by the opposition.
When asked which opposition party could have done that, he said: “I can’t pin point any party but you know that every political party is formed to win power and so I can’t name any party.”
He, however, said if the claim by Mr. Rawlings was anything to go by, then it could have been a personal issue he had with an individual or individuals within the NDC and not the entirety of the party.
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