The massive defeat suffered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in last week’s general elections has created confusion among top officers of the outgoing governing party.
Gurus in the party are at one another’s throat over who actually caused the party’s humiliating defeat in the December 7 polls, with one group insisting that former President Jerry John Rawlings, who founded the NDC, should take the blame, saying he did not campaign for President John Mahama’s re-election bid.
JJ’s Influence
The Greater Accra Regional Organizer of the NDC, Anthony Nukpenu, has insisted that no personality other than Mr. Rawlings contributed to the party’s defeat, claiming that he (the ex-president) continuously tagged the Mahama administration as corrupt and that gave the opposition the weapons to fire more salvos.
“We as a party have a founder in the person of Jerry John Rawlings and as party members, we felt he should be a protective cover for the party and the government; but he chose to arm the opposition against us,” he said, adding, “The NPP got to our heels by campaigning against us heavily on this so-called corruption perception and anytime they made that claim they claimed that the founder of the NDC is the one who said the president is the most corrupt person and his appointees are very corrupt so they should be voted out.”
Corruption Weapon
Mr Anthony Nukpenu underscored, “So if you have this message being used against you by your political opponents and courtesy the founder of your party, it goes a long way to affect your political fortunes. And that has been one of the tools that caused us to have this humiliating defeat.”
He said President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo’s acknowledgement of President Rawlings in his acceptance speech was an indication that the former president ‘armed’ the opposition with a ‘weapon’ for the elections.
“One of the tools he gave them was corruption, and Nana Akufo-Addo in his acceptance speech congratulated him. On what basis was he congratulating him, thanking him so much for what he has done for him?” he queried.
Founder’s Hesitation
Mr. Nukpenu also claimed the former president shut his doors to the NDC but allowed the NPP to come in, saying, “We as a party made moves to have a meeting with our founder, he did not agree; but he had the time and opportunity to open his doors to Volta Regional NPP executives to have a meeting with them.
“What is he telling the world? So things have gone bad; we don’t want to go there. I know the several moves that we made when we needed him and he turned us down. He has brought us to opposition which has been his call, so he should call us; we are ready to go to him.”
In JJ’s Defence
However, in a sharp rebuttal, the party’s National Organizer Kofi Adams, who was the Campaign Coordinator of the NDC, dismissed the Regional Organizer’s claims and said the party was yet to take stock and know what went wrong.
Kofi Adams, who was once President Rawlings’ spokesperson said, “Nobody has done any research to show why we lost, and until we have done so, the blame game must cease, and our former president and founding father must be allowed to have his peace while we work around a strategy to bring everything on board.
“We went into the elections with the hope and desire to win. We did not win the elections. Leadership would have to take the responsibility for our inability to win the elections. Let us blame nobody, especially our founder.
“Those of us in active leadership at the national, regional and at all levels, should take responsibility for what has happened and let us focus for the next agenda which is making sure that once we hold the government to its promise and also make sure that no matter what, we get back to power to continue the great job that the country deserves.”
Conspicuously Absent
The absence of the former president on the NDC campaign trail was so conspicuous that it has become talk of the town.
Apart from Cape Coast in the Central Region where the NDC launched its national campaign in August, Mr Rawlings was never seen at any NDC campaign event, including the manifesto launch in Sunyani, Brong-Ahafo Regional capital, in September.
Mr Rawlings refused to endorse John Mahama when he attended the Cape Coast campaign launch, but asked the party supporters to wait till after the elections before he would go round the country ‘to rebuild the party.’
He refused to disclose whom he voted for on December 7 when asked, saying that his vote was secret.
Old Man
At a point when everybody was asking about the whereabouts of the former president in the NDC campaign, the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said brazenly that the former president was too old to campaign for the ruling party.
He had queried cheekily on Joy FM that “If Jerry is your father will you pull him to campaign at this age?”
Source: Daily Guide
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Ndc must move on without Rawlings. He is no God but a mere mortal! If winning of all elections must be based on the campaign of JJ Rawlings what will happen if he passes away one day? Does it mean ndc would then never be able to win any election? Rawlings is living in a divide d house; his wife has formed her own party and how could he campaign against her? I bet he voted for her, albeight to no avail! Ndc must reorganize their party and move on. Ndc couldn't had stayed in power forever and npp in power now will not stay in power forever. Let's all support the current govt to succeed. Ghana will be the ultimate winner.
Rawlings can never escape blame for the ndc defeat, his silence/absence and cozy relationship with the opposition was much to be blame for the mahama's loss. The ndc can not hold on to rawlings charm alone for the sustenence of the party going into the future. What was done to JDM bid for his second term by the old guard of the ndc amount to a coup de tat
shamless,shameful beings.i amactually waiting for a time when politician will do introspection than blame people for their failures. were you in town when asiedu the mosquito bluntly insulted papa J? You were all part of it,now you see how the trunk of a tree is so so important to the healthy growth of the branches and leaves? God forgive you all for that treatment metted out to him.behind the butts of an old man is.........learn from this and be humble.shun disrespect and orrogance and you may have another chance.***barred word***" brood of hungry lions" papa J this is your "one stone"receive it papaj
So NDC now admits that JM rather was lonely not Prez Kufour as your Vice Prez claimed at NDC's last campaign at the stadium? You have now seen your level NDC? Go and rest and come back after 16 years!!! S h a me faced people. Your thi ef ly plan fai l ed!! St op the blame game! V oleurs!!
How dare you......since when did you join the NDC to start spewing filth from your rotten mouth about President Rawlings? Our party has lost and so be it. No one can point at whether or not J.J. failed to campaign when your rotten to the core leadership were only busy pilfering from state coffers and refusing to pay heed to his good counsel,including JDM. I will not belabor the issue about the numerous times JJ tried against stiff opposition from your ***barred word*** brigade, to caution JDM, but alas, he too was caught up in the mesh of deception thrown up by the crooks and influence peddlers in our party. How can an experienced politician like JDM allow himself to be ensconced between students of politics and still believe the election was a done deal? You Nukpenu are part of the problem. What have you guys been doing with your budgets since coming into office? We see the new cars and new circle of friends you all suddenly have, not to mention the difficulty one has to endure in accessing your offices. As someone who has contributed my sweat and blood to NDC since 1992, i am very happy we are starting 2017 in opposition and the shame lies squarely on the shoulders of JDM for failing himself and us. He will go down in history as Ghana's first one term president and the weakest willed. Now is time to weed out the extremely rotten beyond redemption lot from our party and restore our core values of probity, accountability and justice. As for the likes of general mosquito, Betty Mould, the Ahwoi brothers and others, they must simply make peace with themselves and apologize to President Rawlings for their actions and in-actions towards him all these years. If Torgbe Nutifafa forgives them, NDC will bounce back stronger and better focused to contest in 2020. We must as a matter of urgency, get Nana Konadu,Martin Amidu, Issifu Ali and the Tsikatas back into ACTIVE roles in our party if we are serious about winning any election again in Ghana. President Mahama and his team including you Nukpenu should go and sin no more, and, allow President Rawlings to reshape our party with people who are tried and tested.
The Rawlings factors cannot be shelved for any good in the NDC. None of the so called bigwigs in the NDC, including President Mahama, cannot match Papa Jay in Charisma and demeanour in anyway. The plain truth is that the NDC sidelined Papa and that caused its humiliating defeat. Unless the party duly recognize the essence of the Rawlingses and bring them on board in front line positions, the party will wander in the wilderness for a long period of time. The experiment to downgrade the Rawlings in the scheme of the NDC must cease right now because the NDC without Rawlings can be likened to Africa without Madagasscar.
REALLY!We too many CORRUPTIONS & LIES all been shifted to MAHAMA's doorsteps you thought GHANAIANS don't sleep on pillows. Zip your mouth let will save a lot of hurting souls like Rawlings. At least for him, her daughter is his June 4th prize.
Mr Nukpene, are you in denial that the NDC in government was VERY CORRUPT? Are you by that insinuating and insulting Ghanaians that we cannot see and therefore be good judges of the actions and activities of the elected government? It's not about Rawlings, it's all about your party's corrupted deeds which had risen, unfortunately to ***barred word*** levels. Your party has mismanaged the Ghanaian economy big time, wanton ***barred word*** of state's funds, inordinate opulence of some government officials, the superior corruption associate with government purchases, the ALMIGHTY PROPAGANDA your communicators and entire NDC government was engaged in. HOW DO YOU RULE A COUNTRY BY PROPAGANDA Mr Nukpenu? I am hoping parliament will enact and pass a bill that will criminalise propaganda henceforth. So remove the scales from your eyes and stop blaming Rawlings, he's done nothing.
Please let old papa J have his peace after all the disrespect you have shown to him.