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Former President Jerry John Rawlings, founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) stands accused by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuije for going against his own principle he inculcated in the members of the party.

According to Nii Lantey, the bad blood between him and the former President Rawlings is based on the fact that the founder of the party [NDC] has betrayed his principle of loyalty and solidarity he built the party on.

“...and I will always stand against him for going against the principles of loyalty and solidarity he taught me. He taught me these principles and for him to go against them, I will not support him but give my support to the principle of the party”, he averred.

Speaking in an interview with Bola Ray on Starr Fm, Hon Nii Lante insisted it was wrong for President Rawlings to turn his back against the party he founded by going against the principles he inculcated into the members to always stand and support the party no matter the circumstance.

Former President Rawlings, since the era of the late President Mills in 2009 has been an ardent critic, bemoaning what he described as unprecedented monetization of the political space perpetrated by members of his own party in government.

Significantly, at the 30th Anniversary ceremony of the 31st December Women’s Movement in 2011, the former President described some government functionaries as traitors who have betrayed the cause of the National Democratic Congress [NDC].

Consequently, prior to the 2012 elections, Hon Nii Lante threw a challenge to Mr Rawlings to quit the NDC and see whether the party will not win the elections; adding that the NDC has moved from being controlled by one person to a collective organ.

He pointed out that the ruling NDC was tired of the persistent outbursts of the Rawlingses against the government; vowing to defy the former President nytime he attacks the then Mills' government.

Justifying his remarks, Hon. Nii Lante told Bolaray on Wednesday that he will always defy the party’s founder for going against his own set of principles.

“I condemned former President Rawlings and I don’t have any regret for what I did and if it means doing it again, I will do it so long as I remain loyal and supportive to our great party’s [NDC’s] principles”, he insisted.

“I will do it ten times again as long as he continues to go against these principles he inculcated in all of us. We have been made to support any leader of the party and at the moment the leader of the party is President Mahama and so anybody in the party [including Mr Rawlings] who is against the President, I will turn against that person”, he emphasized.