On the eleventh of December 2009, I received a sudden call from the NDC headquarters in Accra. They informed me that Mr Rawlings wanted to set a few things straight. I was therefore requested to attend this important interview, which was scheduled at the former president's ridge residence. To tell you all the truth, I have always held the former president in high respect. I consider him to be quite an extraordinary figure. I have studied his life with such great dedication that I have come to know him very well.
Therefore, I was not intimidated whatsoever when we finally met. Ms Nana Konadu Rawlings was also present during this candid interview. I must confess that Mr Rawlings and his lovely wife do make such a wonderful pair. In fact, they still look very good together after all these years. What a lucky couple.
We started this interview with the ex former president telling me that the media has been feeding the populace with false information about him. One particular falsehood, which he wanted to clear is his alleged fall-out with former president Kufour. Mr Rawlings confirmed that it's true that he and former president Kufour have their differences. He also added quite candidly that former president Kufour could have won his respect-had he not rigged the 2004 presidential election.
"The truth of the matter is that the NPP party stole the 2004 presidential election-it was rigged. You see the thing is; after the NPP party tasted power in 2000-they became hungry for more. Also, they wanted to rule Ghana in succession. This was their aim and purpose from the very genesis. Therefore, they covertly resorted to all sorts of illegal ways and tactics to secure a permanent stay in government."
"Unfortunately enough, the electoral committee, which should have presided over a free and fair election in 2004 failed. You could say that the EC was bought. Furthermore, these foreign multinationals, who were stealing from the country in the name of investment were also in bed with the NPP party. These foreign multinationals-in association with the NPP party bribed certain key elements within the EC to ensure NPP's victory in 2004. Atta Mills should have been our president elect in 2004 and not Kufour. Kufour's presidential victory in 2004 was illegal," he said.
I asked Mr Rawlings; why didn't he make this serious allegation back in 2004? This is what he had to say. "After it became evidential that the NPP party had in fact rigged the election-we wanted to take legal action against them. But then, Atta Mills decided that any legal action taken against the NPP would be to the detriment of the EC. Hence, our inaction and my silence till now."
I concluded my unforgettable interview with Mr Rawlings by asking him-if he envisions any future reconciliation with former president Kufour. He replied and said that various people have tried to reconcile both of them, but to no avail. According to him (Rawlings), former president Kufour isn't a man of integrity. "He (Kufour) would like people to see him as an honest man with good intentions, but he is not." Mr Rawlings went on to say that in time-Ghanaians would come to know former president Kufour for the true hypocrite that he is. "Rigging an election to stay and maintain power, when the people had already numbered one's days in office is equivalent to a coup d'etat."
<<Print>>