NDC Rally Flops

A rally organized by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) last Saturday at the Karikari Brobbey Park in the Ablekuma South Constituency to climax the party�s 20th anniversary celebration of the party�s formation has been described as a flop as it was boycotted by party bigwigs. The Greater Accra regional rally, which was expected to be �gargantuan�, was poorly attended, with the kind of jubilations and displays by motor riders that normally characterized NDC rallies also missing. Conspicuously missing were the party�s founder, Jerry John Rawlings, and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. Also absent were President Atta Mills, who was touted as the guest speaker, and his vice, John Dramani Mahama. Other bigwigs of the party including the national chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei and the general secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia were also missing in action, contrary to announcement made on the airwaves. When DAILY GUIDE got to the rally ground around 2:45pm, policemen and security operatives far outnumbered the supporters present. However, most of the police and security men later left the Karikari Brobbey Park when it became clear that the president and his vice would not make it to the rally. Sources said the NDC leaders stayed away because of the poor attendance to mark the ruling party�s 20th anniversary. The organizers of the event did not explain to the disappointed supporters gathered at the rally or the media why the president, his vice and some bigwigs of the party were absent. The absence of the Rawlingses, though not surprising, indicates that they will not be joining the campaign trail of the ruling NDC. Many supporters who spoke to DAILY GUIDE expressed disappointment about the absence of the party founder Mr. Rawlings, President Mills and some of the bigwigs at the rally. According to them, they could not understand why they did not attended the rally and nobody took the pains to explain it to them. �The spirit backing the NDC is no more because we didn�t feel the party spirit at this rally today. Something must be done urgently,� the angry supporters added. The disgruntled supporters expressed worry that the internal wrangling in the party could make the party lose the upcoming December 7 elections. They therefore called on the party hierarchy, especially President Mills, to do whatever it could to bring the Rawlingses onboard to enable effective campaign. Speaking on the theme, �Two Decades Of Unity, Stability And Development In Ghana�, Fritz Baffour, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, said 20 years was worth celebrating because of the successes the party had chalked. He said the achievement of NDC over the past 20 years was unprecedented and hoped that the people of Ghana would vote for the party to govern the nation for another four years come December 7. �We promised Ghanaians that we will bring development and create jobs for everyone and that is exactly what we have done under President Mills� government�. He urged the party executives and members to come together as one body and work towards winning the votes of the electorate.