The founder and leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings has not withdrawn from the upcoming December 7 presidential race following the demise of former President Jerry John Rawlings, Secretary General of NDP, Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, has stated.
He said the purported news which broke out early hours yesterday that Mrs Agyeman Rawlings, had contacted the Electoral Commission (EC) to quit from the general elections should be disregarded.
“These are all part of the divisionary tactics purported by our political opponents to distract our founder who is currently mourning the husband who passed on November 12. With the passing of former President Rawlings, our supporters and sympathisers have been asking the Executives of our party whether our presidential candidate has the strength to continue as flag bearer considering her natural state of distress.
“We the Executive, have not broached this discussion with her as we know and understand that she needs time and space to grief and it will be insensitive to have opened up this topic,” Alhaji Frimpong noted yesterday at a press conference in Accra.
He said party executives intend to meet their founder before the end of the week to have the conversation with her, and would inform their members, supporters and the public of the outcome in due course.
Alhaji Frimpong however, intimated that it would be their wish Mrs Agyeman Rawlings would gather strength to lead the party to victory in the December 7 polls saying “our campaign is ongoing and our parliamentary candidates are out there canvassing for votes with our regional and constituency executives, as well as our supporters and sympathisers, and should remain resolute.
“Some curious events in the past few days have come to our attention which shows clearly there are attempts by some elements to desecrate the legacy and name of former President Rawlings even upon his demise, the acts are being perpetrated by persons who have shown desire to constantly humiliate the late former President Rawlings and his family even when he was alive.
“It is worth noting deliberate orchestrations to humiliate the Rawlings family began long ago right from the period when certain individuals, many of whom were direct beneficiaries of the revolution and the party he formed at the peril of his life,” Alhaji Frimpong lamented.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
