Ghana�s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) was heading to this year�s December election without the charisma of former President Jerry Rawlings.
Mr Rawlings founded the party, led it to election and ruled the country for two terms before he left office in 2001.
The party�s return to power in the 2008 election was largely attributed to his tireless efforts.
But when the Greater Accra Regional branch held an outdoor rally for its parliamentary candidates last week, Mr Rawlings failed to show up.
The regional chairman, Mr Kwabena Ade-Coker, told the media they had invited him, but that was dismissed by the office of the former president.
Hours before the rally, Mr Kofi Adams, a spokesman for Mr Rawlings, told an Accra radio station that the former president �had many problems with the party, which must be addressed�.
It won�t do, he said, for party leaders to �scratch the surface� of these problems.
Mr Rawlings has been extremely outspoken about what he sees as corruption among NDC leaders.
In fact, he unsuccessfully fronted his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman for the party leadership last year on a platform of fighting corruption within the party and government.
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