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The Opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has hit back at former President Rawlings for �deliberately and unruly casting unjustified insinuations and insults� on former rulers of the country, especially Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor. In his latest diatribe, the former military officer accused Mr Kufuor of stealing �massively� while in office between 2001 and 2008. Speaking as the Guest of Honour at the closing ceremony of the regional camp of the International Youth Fellowship at the Adidome Senior High School in the Volta Region, Mr Rawlings described his successor John Kufuor as an �autocratic thief�. �When people get up, they wanna create the impression to you the young ones as if the corruption started with this man, the young man, john Mahama, no, it started with Kufuor and that�s why I said Kufuor was an autocratic thief�, he told the students. He swore never to stop reminding Ghanaians of former President Kufuor's alleged corrupt nature as well as the manner in which he plundered state resources while in office. �People keep saying that I should keep quiet on Kufuor. The day I keep quiet on Kufuor, his image will become white-washed and he will use that stolen corrupt wealth to determine the political destiny of this country. I will not. All I have is my integrity�, he roared. But in a sharp riposte, the NPP, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey said Ghanaians are oftentimes baffled as to what the real issues are when Mr. Rawlings speaks. Expressing �disgust� at the �constant insults and attacks� on the person of Mr Kufuor by someone who should be acting as a statesman (Rawlings), the NPP Chair said, �we find it highly unbecoming, mischievous and provocative that Mr. Rawlings, a former military leader, later head of state, who should naturally be wearing the shoes of statesmanship�.Mr Rawlings behaves and talks like an angel and a judge of humanity when his 19year rule was inundated with atrocities and unbeatably dark days in the history of our country.� Whiles calling on the founder of the ruling party to allow Ghanaians be judges of the various regimes that have had the opportunity to run this country, the NPP lauded Mr Kufuor for the systematic change in the fortunes of Ghanaians and leading the country to achieve a middle income status during his 8 year rule. �Ghanaians are witnesses to the conduct of Mr Kufour since leaving office in 2009, the statesmanship, initiative, the international recognition, level headedness and the finesse with which he has handled life after the presidency. We urge Mr Rawlings to also show some statesmanship and exercise restraint in his public outburst, not only against Mr Kufour but all leaders of our country,� the statement read. Read the full statement below�.