| Is Rawlings’ wife eyeing Ghana presidency? | Send to a friend |
| Friday, 18 June 2010 08:19 |
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After only 15 months in power, all does not seem well with Ghana’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC): Some party chiefs have started moves to unseat President John Atta Mills at the next election due in 2012. In the thick of it is Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the wife of former President Jerry Rawlings, the man who ensured that Mr Mills was elected. The revelation that some people were trying to unseat the president came days after he announced that he would seek a second term. There has been no confirmation from the office of the former president on the wife’s ambitions, but at a recent political rally, banners were unfurled in support of Mrs Rawlings. On June 4, at a political rally in Tamale in the northern region to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the day Flight Lieutenant Rawlings came to power, some delegates hoisted a big banner which read: “Movement for Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings: 2012 President”. Mr Rawlings spoke at the rally and lashed out at the ‘’incompetence” of President Mills and went on to refer to him as a Konongo-Kaya, a local description of someone unable to do a job, but who does everything possible to ward off those capable from taking over the job. Speculation has heightened after revelations by a close confidant of the Rawlings family, Mr Hebert Mensah ,who claimed in a radio interview that two people within the NDC, who he did not name, were mobilising funds from the business community to challenge President Mills in the 2012 General Election. “There are two people, one of who works at the castle and the other one is a very senior member in the political mix, who have been seconding and seeking favours and monetary donations from business folks openly for that campaign. And I think time will tell,” he said in a radio interview. Reacting to these developments, NDC general-secretary Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah said: “The Functional Executive Council (of the NDC) notes with concern attempts to undermine the sitting president and leader of our party by certain individuals with the objective of furthering the presidential ambitions of some members of the party in 2012.” Mr Asiedu-Nketia said the party took a serious view of the developments and reminded those involved that their first commitment was to abide by the constitution of the party. In addition, he said, the party’s laws do not approve or encourage the formation of “parallel structures” from within. However, Mr Mensah was quick to point out that under the country’s democracy, everybody had a right to aspire for the presidency. But some members fear Mrs Rawlings’ ambition will split the party and have accused her of being power drunk. Mr Kofi Adams, special aide to Mr Rawlings, has dismissed criticism directed at the former president and his wife. He said that for 28 years, Mrs Rawlings had worked tirelessly to better the lot of the underprivileged in the country and that the experience garnered in this journey makes the former first lady “stand tall” amongst possible successors to President Mills. Experience “We have presidents across the world who do not have even half of the experience Nana Konadu has (accumulated) in the last 28 years that she has been actively involved in the politics of this country,” he added. Mr Adams noted that Mrs Rawlings had not publicly declared her interest in contesting the presidency, but he pointed out that she could not stop anybody from supporting her. But it’s not everybody in the party who backs her ambition. Mr Ato Ahwoi, for instance, has made it clear that the party would continue supporting President Mills. All this makes the next few months very interesting to watch. Opposition activists are enjoying the infighting in the ruling party, but the worry of the average Ghanaian it would affect President Mills’ focus on his job in a way that could adversely affect the country. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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