NDC Dares Mrs. Konadu Rawlings

A national vice chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress has challenged Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to come public on her presidential ambition instead of hiding behind other people to engage in subtle campaign for the party’s 2012 presidential slot.



According to Danny Annang, the NDC is a true democratic party that allows competition in the selection of its officers, and so if the former first lady who is a strong member of the Party is interested in the presidency she must let the public and party members know it.

“Few people are going round in her name campaigning for her; we don’t know if indeed she has instructed them to do so and I think she must come public,” he stressed. The Rawlingses and their cronies within the NDC have been very critical of the 20 month old administration of President Mills who came into the political limelight courtesy Mr. Rawlings.



Speaking to The publisher newspaper about Mrs. Rawlings’ alleged campaign for the NDC’s 2012 presidential slot, Mr. Annang, a confidant of President Mills, pointed out that the president was not worried about activities of Mrs. Rawlings. He confirmed that President Mills would seek re-election and is ready for any challenge, expressing the hope that NDC delegates would support the President’s second term bid.



He urged NDC followers to remain calm, assuring them that the President was in firm control of affairs.Mr. Annang condemned the needless attacks and name-calling often engineered by some leading gurus, stressing that the practice would not help the party in anyway.

He admitted that the confidence of the government was being undermined by people campaigning to become the party’s presidential candidate.



Mrs. Rawlings’ presidential ambition is no longer a secret even though she is yet to make public whether she is interested in vying for the presidential slot of the NDC for the next general election.

Current developments in the country, as well as her activities, clearly point to the fact that the former first lady is interested in the presidency.



The long-nursed presidential ambition of the former first lady who has always been projected by the husband as a political colossus, something some political pundits see as a myth was highlighted by a support group loyal to her at the 31st anniversary of the June 4 uprising held at Tamale.



And since then, she has remained firmly on the grounds galvanizing grassroots support for her ambition, under the guise of resuscitating the activities of her 31st December Women’s Movement.

Mr. Danny Annang indicated that if Mrs. Rawlings is indeed interested in contesting the flagbearership then she must conduct herself within the ambit of the party’s constitution.The NDC constitution says if any office holder of the NDC wants to contest another position that officer must resign the position she/he occupies.



Mrs. Rawlings got overwhelming endorsement at the NDC congress in Tamale early this year to become a national vice chairperson. But some within the NDC say the former first lady should not consider her massive endorsement at the Tamale congress to mean that party people would support her presidential bid.



She has been meeting women groups and party functionaries across the country while embarking on the assignment of commissioning projects undertaken by the 31st December Women’s Movement. She is the life president of the once powerful Movement.



Mrs. Rawlings’ name has come up on the list of people interested in vying for the flagbearership of the NDC. A spokesperson for Mr. Rawlings, Kofi Adams, always insists Mrs. Rawlings stands tall among those who are interested in leading the NDC.



Vice president John Dramani Mahama and Agric Minister Kwesi Ahwoi are also said to be nursing presidential ambitions. The NDC will go to congress in December 2011 to elect a presidential candidate for the 2012 election, in line with the new constitution of the party which states that when the party is in government, a presidential candidate shall be elected 12 months to the general election.













Source: The publisher