President Rawlings condemns former Transport Minister

By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, April 27, GNA - Former President, Jerry John Rawlings has condemned a statement by a former Minister for Transport, Dzifa Attivor at a political event at Wodoaba in the Volta Region.

The former minister told the gathering not to vote for the opposition New Patriotic Party since they party was bent on jailing her on allegations of corruption if it wins power.

President Rawlings said he finds the statement distasteful and the making of such ethnocentric references against the NPP Presidential candidate is unfortunate.

Mrs Attivor accused the NPP as being tribalistic, she also insinuated that because he (President Rawlings) was the Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the electorate in the Volta Region should vote for the party on that basis.

Former President Rawlings' said 'Before making such unfortunate statements let's remove the logs in our own eyes'.

He said he did not subscribe to the politics of ethnic bias and never have; saying that while he may not be a fan of the NPP, he knows their presidential candidate is not tribalistic or ethnocentric.

'Whatever Nana Addo's shortcomings, tribalism is not one of them. Some known and respected Voltarians like Nutifafa Kuenyehia should be able to testify to his political nature.'

Former President urged all political parties to base their arguments and campaign rhetoric on the truth and desist from emotional and non-factual statements, especially where my name has to be mentioned, in the upcoming elections.

He implored the electorate not to allow immature behaviour and pronouncements to cloud their judgement.

GNA