Nana Konadu Will Be Writing Her Political Obituary If She Goes Independent � Ben Ephson

Managing Editor of The Daily Dispatch Newspaper says any decision by Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings to contest the 2012 elections as an independent candidate would be a �total disaster� since she would be plunging herself into �political oblivion�. Mr. Ephson made these comments on X-Fm�s �Big Bite� morning show in response to recent demands by members of FONKAR who have called on the former First Lady to leave the ruling National Democratic Congress and contest the 2012 elections as an independent candidate. �Going as an independent in itself will be a problem because then she would be staking from the basket of votes of the NDC. Now, why people in the NDC who normally like her but will not vote for her is that, when it comes to elections they know that if they vote for her it will be a spoilt vote so they will consider that they will be better off under Mills and NDC than NPP,� he said. Mr. Ephson noted that if members of FONKAR still wanted Mrs. Rawlings to be politically relevant, they would advise her to give the NDC a push for reforms like expanding the electoral college instead of going independent, adding that FONKAR should have sponsored Mr. Spio Garbrah or anybody to contest President Mills if they (FONKAR) felt the Rawlings� could steer the affairs of the NDC better. He blamed the media for hyping and giving credence to certain issues that creates an impression different from what is actually pertaining and wondered if FONKAR had given Mrs. Rawlings credible and truthful research to justify their calls. Citing the example of Mr. Mike Oquaye Jnr. who was not elected as the MP for Dome-Kwabenya despite the contribution of his father (Professor Mike Oquaye) who is the MP of the area, the renowned pollster explained that �people�s loyalty to the founder (husband) does not necessarily transfer to the wife� and advised Mrs. Rawlings to be wary of such calls. Mr. Ephson, who had earlier predicted that Mrs. Rawlings would not chalk even 30% of the votes at the Sunyani congress, opined that FONKAR should rather appeal to the NDC why Mrs. Rawlings would be a better candidate since they put people off with their insults, adding that without former president Rawlings on the campaign team of the NDC, the party would find it �difficult� but not �impossible� come 2012.