NDC Man Dares JJ

JJ Rawlings

JOHN GYAPONG-Kudzo, a three-term former NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for the Akan Constituency in the Volta Region, has dismissed claims by the former first couple, Jerry John Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, that he was involved in an attempted subversion of the PNDC and also teemed up with NPP and other parties against the party, daring them to prove the allegations.

The former MP, in an interview with DAILY GUIDE at Ho over the weekend, expressed shock that such an allegation was coming from the founder of the party “whom we all see us our father” and wondered why the Rawlingses did not hear his side of the story before coming out with such claims if they genuinely meant well for the party.

He swore that he has never in any part of his campaign for the position of the Volta Regional Chairman said that the Rawlingses have endorsed his candidacy and called on anyone having such evidence to come public.

Refuting allegations that he was a traitor and a subversionist, Mr. Gyapong-Kudzo  pointed out that he is the founding member of the NDC in the Akan Constituency because in the year 1992, when it was a legal obligation that one person is selected from each District to stand as a founding member of a political party before such party is legally recognized, he became that single signatory for the party  and wondered why the Rawlingses did not stop him if he was really involved in an attempted subversion of the PNDC as they are claiming.

He continued that he became the first Volta Regional Youth Organizer of the party from 1992 to 2001 and was also the Akan Constituency Chairman of the NDC from 1992 to 1998, expressing shock that today, the Rawlingses will refer to him as a traitor.

“Is it not the PNDC that became NDC, so if I am what they are claiming me to be now, then why did I occupy these sensitive positions for the party even after the demise of the PNDC that they claimed I wanted to topple?” he queried.

Mr. Gyapong-Kudzo said it did not end there, but due to his commitment to the party's course, he became an MP from 1993 to 2000 when he lost to Rashid Bawa, an independent candidate.

He explained that in 2004, he came back and challenged Mr. Bawa who was then on the ticket of the NPP and took the seat from him, thereby returning to Parliament till 2008 when he lost the primaries.

The business tycoon also told DAILY GUIDE that it is on record that his opponents met and told delegates at Hohoe and Kpando that such a statement will be coming from the ex-President and his wife, long before the statement was issued.

Mr. Gyapong-Kudzo however admitted that all is not well between him and his successor, Joseph Kwadjo Ofori, the current MP of Akan Constituency, saying “I will not be the first not to help someone who cursed, insulted and threatened my life because he has won the primary.”

It will be recalled that the Office of the former President, on Thursday, issued a press statement disclaiming the former MP whom they alleged was misinforming delegates that he had their endorsement.

“The office will like to state categorically that the afore-mentioned is totally false. The former President and his wife have no plans of endorsing someone who was involved in attempted subversion of the PNDC government alongside Lance Corporal Halidu Giwa.

“Kudzo has also flirted with the DFP in its attempts to undermine the victory of Professor Mills. He teamed up with members of the opposition NPP and other parties to campaign against the current President and MP of his constituency after he had lost the primaries.

The former President cannot support such a traitor to the party,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, deep-throat sources have told DAILY GUIDE that Mr. Rawlings has met some MPs in Sogakope on Friday and told them to campaign against Mr. Gyapong-Kudzo.

From Wise Donkor, Ho