Rational Rawlings is being opportunistic- Kpessah Whyte

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana believes ex-president John Rawlings is being opportunistic in his latest endorsement of President John Mahama as the likely candidate to win the 2012 elections.

Dr. Kpessah Whyte was however quick to add that Mr Rawlings, like all rational human beings has the right to change his mind.

The ex-president in what may seem a surprise u-turn, lauded President John Mahama for bringing the spark back to the ruling party.

He had only few months ago accused the party as the most corrupt in Ghana.

He was unimpressed with the governance style of the late president John Mills and was in a dilemma as to whether to support the enemy or the traitor in the 2012 elections.

He did not state who the traitor or the enemy was but his relationship with the NDC and the former president was becoming anything but friendly.

There were speculations he and his wife were behind the breakaway National Democratic Party which has now fully received its license to operate as a political party.

But at a meeting with the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Wednesday the ex-president heaped praises on President John Mahama, predicting he might possibly win the elections.

Reacting to the surprise u-turn by the ex-president, Dr Kpessah Whyte told Joy News' Evans Mensah that “Mr Rawlings perhaps in a subtle way is recognising that the passing of the late president has opened a new window of opportunity for himself to re-gravitate himself towards the NDC which he distanced himself from in many ways through his speeches in the last three years.”

According to him, Rawlings' comments that President Mahama has brought the spark back into the NDC and for which reason he (Mahama) could possibly win the elections were a bit surprising.

He said Rawlings' criticisms against the NDC have been failure by the late President to prosecute former government officials and perceived disenchantment at the grass-root level.

He added however that the ex-president perhaps is subordinating his earlier concerns to the new found spark Mahama has brought into the party.

Asked if he thought the ex-president was being opportunistic, Dr Whyte said: “I think that it is political opportunism. There is no two ways about that but we also have to keep in mind that former President Rawlings is a rational human being. It is only the irrational human being that does not change his mind.”

He was however emphatic that it will be dangerous to put Mr Rawlings on the platform given the things he has said about the ruling party in the past.

He said it is n the interest of Mr Rawlings for the NDC to win the upcoming elections without him.

Another lecturer with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kwasi Amakyi is convinced with or without Rawlings the key issue is whether the people of Ghana will condone corruption in the upcoming polls.

He reiterated that the corruption cases stare the NDC in the face and believes that issue should be paramount in the elections.