Rawlings' snub of NDC rally will be unprecedented - CPP scribe

Communications Director of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Nii Armah Akomfra says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) founder Jerry John Rawlings' snub of the party Greater Accra Regional branch rally on Saturday is a ticking time bomb.

According to Akomfra, Mr. Rawlings' absence at the rally could affect the ruling party's ambition to retain power in the upcoming general election on December 7.

The Rawlingses in a statement issued on their behalf Thursday, warned the NDC to desist from using their names to publicize events without their knowledge.

The strong worded statement from the office of Mr. Rawlings was in reaction to the party's failure to officially invite the founder and his wife to a rally under the auspices of the Greater Accra Regional branch of the NDC to be held on Saturday at Mantse Agbonaa in Accra.

The rally, which would be graced by President John Evans Atta Mills, would also be used to outdoor the NDC's Parliamentary candidates to party faithful.

The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Ade Coker conceded the party erred and added they had sent an official invitation to the Rawlingses.

However, it still remains unclear whether the former first family would attend the rally.

Speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen programme Friday, Nii Armah Akomfra said the acrimony within the NDC would certainly affect its campaign in 2012 if the party leadership does not take precautionary measures to remedy the situation.

He noted that Mr. Rawlings is invaluable to the NDC's campaign for the December elections. Therefore if he pulls out of the party's campaign it would be acrimonious for government.

“If the founder of the NDC is asking his own party not to use his name for party's events; I think that is unprecedented and a serious issue”.

The CPP scribe said following the rancor between the Rawlingses and the NDC, it is evident the NDC has a disgruntled and divided front coming into the December general elections.

He observed that the statement from the Rawlingses has exposed the NDC leadership who seek to paint a nice picture of their relationship with their party founder when in fact the situation is worst.

“The NDC seem to be imploding and their campaign for 2012 is going to be very difficult without Rawlings. Former President Rawlings is a popular politician; he makes the NDC, [therefore] if he is not on the scene, it would be difficult for NDC”.

Nii Armah Akomfra urged NDC National Executives to find any means possible to bring the Rawlingses on board the party electioneering campaign.