Rawlings Shared Waakye

UNDER PRESSURE! Mr and Mrs Rawlings at the NDC Sunyani Congress last Saturday

Still smarting from the devastation of last Saturday's humiliating rejection of his wife by National Democratic Congress (NDC) delegates, ex-President Jerry John Rawlings has been accused of sharing  meals- rice and beans, called 'waakye' in local parlance- to woo delegates on the eve of the Sunyani congress.

The accusation leveled against the ex-president was fired by James Agyenim Boateng, Deputy Minister of Tourism, in response to one from the former when he said money was shared to delegates not by President Mills but others whose names he did not disclose.

Mr. Rawlings, with a touch of sarcasm, expressed gratitude for the generous per diem, as he put, it doled out to delegates the previous night. He was however quick to add that he could assure all that the money neither emanated from him nor the President.

In a quick reaction, Mr. Agyenim-Boateng, a former radio presenter, sneered at the ex-President and remarked that he too shared 'waakye' to delegates on the eve of the voting to influence them, as he (Agyenim-Boateng) mounted the commentary box for the state broadcaster-GBC- along with Stan Dogbe, a presidential aide.

The Mills camp was said to have bribed the delegates in exchange for the overwhelming endorsement which was described by Kofi Adams, aide to Mr Rawlings, as choreographed results.

Kofi Adams said the Nana Konadu campaign team would make its case public via a press conference tomorrow at a yet-to-be-announced venue.

An abrasive flurry of accusations and counter-accusations has dominated the post-Sunyani watershed election for a flag-bearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) held last Saturday.

Ex-President Rawlings was earlier said to have doled out an amount of GH¢20 and a meat-pie to each delegate from the Greater Accra Region after an engagement with them at his Ridge Residence in Accra, ahead of the congress.

NDC Hijacks GBC
Professional anomalies were noted in the conduct of the ruling party's congress, with the state broadcaster letting go its hold on commentaries to Deputy Minister of Tourism Agyenim Boateng and Stan Dogbe, in breach of the GBC standards.

On such Outside Broadcast programmes, since this government took over, Nii Odartey Lamptey of the GTV business desk had been anchoring the live events, but this time around, the NDC insisted on having their own men do the commentaries and their request was obliged, much to the chagrin of observers and the professionals at the state broadcaster.

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James Agyenim-Boateng
DAILY GUIDE has also gathered that even after generous discounts given to the ruling party, GBC, the state broadcaster, is yet to receive payment for the services it rendered for the party's two congresses in Tamale last year and Sunyani over the weekend.

A source whispered to DAILY GUIDE that 'even the cost of the service we rendered them during the Tamale event of the party is yet to be paid.'

Attempts to verify this proved futile as top officials of the broadcasting house could not be reached.

In a quick reaction, Sammy Awuku of the NPP Communication directorate has condemned the action of the ruling party and warned that the largest opposition party would not tolerate such abuse of incumbency, especially in an election year.

In his reaction, Mr Agyenim-Boateng claimed he was asked to run the commentary and he was unaware about whether payment had been made to the state broadcaster or not.

Sekou Nkrumah Predicts Doom
However, as the NDC jubilates over the successful hosting of the congress, a son of Ghana's first President and a member of the party, Dr. Sekou Nkrumah has waded into the discussions on the aftermath of the delegates' congress, describing the margin of loss for the former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings as 'a shock to many of us'.

Sharing his thoughts on XFm's morning show programme 'The Big Bite' yesterday, Sekou shared former President Rawlings's sentiments that although the NDC had a fruitful congress and an eventual victory for Prof. Mills, it would be very difficult for the party in the 2012 general polls, especially with the current state of events in the country with regard to the President's general performance.

'It seems to be a victory for Prof's camp now but eventually it might be a loss in 2012 and I think those of us who called for a change within the NDC should not give up,' he said.

He was of the view that many people were not comfortable with Nana Konadu as a choice of change not because she is a woman, but 'perhaps people were rather not comfortable going back to the old days of PNDC/NDC era, which Nana Konadu couldn't divorce herself from because of her background'.

He reiterated that although the battle for change was lost for now, the 'war' is going to continue for those who still want dynamic and strong leadership with vision not just for the NDC but for Ghana to better the lot of the people.

'I don't see how confident the NDC should be going into the 2012 elections after its performance in government since its policies have not brought anything new to the lives of Ghanaians,' Sekou Nkrumah said, adding, 'There is nothing to be excited about the Professor's victory'.

Talking about party unity which he stressed was needed now, Sekou advised the President to reach out to people outside his camp and find a way of bringing the NDC together by changing and correcting the things people outside his camp are complaining about with humility, in order for the party to unite and move forward as a united front.

He was emphatic that the 2012 general elections could go either way and was doubtful if the NDC could have an outright victory, especially if things continued the way they were right now in the country, saying, 'It will take magic' to achieve victory in 2012.

The past few days have witnessed the crumbling of what cynics describe as the Rawlings dynasty.

For over two decades, his word ruled the waves.
He had control over the street boys or thugs who could descend upon anybody who dared the all-powerful head of state.

So overwhelming was his authority that even when he foisted a Prof John Evans Atta Mills upon an uneasy National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Swedru as his 'anointed successor', the closest dissent there was were hushed murmurs as his word won the day.

Last Saturday at Sunyani, the die was cast and the delegates of the party voted, showing the Rawlingses who had ruled this country for close to two decades the red card of disapproval.

Many wondered what they beheld as the former First Couple were even ignored and hooted at, at the congress grounds. Someone remembered his Latin primary days at school and quipped: 'Tempora mutantur', to wit 'time changes'.

They left the grounds unceremoniously, crestfallen hand-in-hand into the darkness of political oblivion. In his reaction two days after the electoral defeat, former President Rawlings's one-time aide, Victor Smith, now Ambassador to the Czech Republic, literally shed tears for the fall of the Rawlingses.

He said, 'I feel ashamed for the Rawlingses; see how they have been embarrassed.'

Continuing, he said, 'Mrs. Rawlings should have listened to the numerous pleas that came her way from party functionaries, eminent chiefs from the Volta Region and others to step down.

By A.R. Gomda