A highly cherished-ambition of entering Ghana’s Parliament on the ticket of the party founded by her father, could be a mirage as the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) plots to disqualify her ahead of its parliamentary primaries.
THE CUSTODIAN has learnt that the Greater Accra regional executives of the NDC are scheming to disqualify Dr. Ezenator Rawlings from contesting the Klottey Korle parliamentary primaries because she has allegedly not nurtured the constituency for four years as stipulated by the party’s constitution.
Other parliamentary aspirants expected to be used as sacrificial lambs to give some credibility to Ezenator’s anticipated disqualification include Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye-Ofosu who is nursing the ambition of representing the people of Ablekuma North constituency; sharp-teeth baby Peter Boamah Otokunor, Ablekuma Central; Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, Adentan constituency; and Lawyer and human rights activist Francis-Xavier Sosu, Madina constituency.
According to NDC sources, among other reasons why the Greater Accra NDC led by Chairman Ade Coker wants the first child of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings to be disqualified, is that the ruling party is ensuring the constituencies around the coastal areas like Klottey Korle and Ledzekuku constituencies are contested by only Ga indigenes and since Dr. Ezenator Rawlings is an Ewe and not Ga, she should not be allowed to contest for the seat.
Already incumbent MP for Ledzekuku, Benita Sena Okity-Duah, an Ewe, is being asked to move to Volta Region to contest for one of the seats there, a similar protest she faced when she attempted to represent the constituency in 2012.
Other NDC sources indicated there is a deep-seated plot to disgrace Ezenator because of her parents and this is being spearheaded by individuals within the party who have had incurable altercations with former President Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman.
“These individuals are trying to cut former President Rawlings to size by serving notice he is no more in charge of NDC. There is no better way of doing this than disqualifying his daughter and destroying her ambition to become a Ghanaian lawmaker. Even if she goes through the primaries, these people would not allow her to win the main election,” an NDC source told THE CUSTODIAN.
Irredeemable disputes between some NDC executives and the former first family, led to ex-President Rawlings being described as a ‘barking dog’ within his own party some time ago with his wife breaking away from the governing party to form the National Democratic Party (NDP).
The scheme to disqualify Ezenator, the NDC sources noted, has already commenced following claims by the constituency secretary Richmond Dizzy Quaye, that the daughter of the former President is not known in the area.
“Well, she is not known in the constituency and we the executives are not really aware of her. I can’t say the NDC members in this area know her as an active member,” Dizzy Quaye stated in a radio interview.
It is not clear if some of the national executives close to former first family like NDC national organiser and spokesperson for ex-President Rawlings, Kofi Adams, would be protesting against the disqualification.
Dr. Ezenator Rawlings last Friday picked forms to contest the Klottey Korle primaries on the ticket of the ruling NDC, abandoning her mother’s NDP.
NDC is expected to hold parliamentary and presidential primaries on November 7 and should Rawlings’ daughter escape the political machinations, she will have to beat incumbent Nii Armah Ashietey at the primaries to keep her hopes of annexing the seat alive.
Meanwhile, information reaching THE CUSTODIAN indicates that Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, aspirant for Adentan constituency; Felix Kwakye-Ofosu, Ablekuma North; Peter Boamah Otokunor, Ablekuma Central and Francis-Xavier Sosu, Madina; are likely to suffer similar fate of not nurturing their respective constituency for four years.
The paper has learnt that the aforementioned aspirants have challenges like Dr. Ezenator Rawlings and it will be unfair to disqualify the daughter of the former president without doing same to them.
For instance, the paper has gathered that some NDC executives doubt the loyalty of Mohammed Adamu Ramadan.
Even though Adamu Ramadan is a management consultant; doubles as staff of President Mahama’s brother Ibrahim Mahama and a presidential staffer at the flagstaff house, NDC insiders insist he cannot be trusted because he comes from a political tradition as his father, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, current national chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and his younger brother, Abu Ramadan, the youth organizer of the same party.
Interestingly, Adamu’s sister, Samira is also married to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and his critics believe this kind of political web could go against NDC should he be allowed to contest on the ticket of the NDC.
However, Adamu Ramadan has served notice he will campaign on his own record in the party and as an individual.
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