Former President Jerry John Rawlings says the National Democratic Congress will lose the 2012 general elections should delegates fail to choose the right leader as flagbearership.
Speaking briefly at the launch of Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings’ 2012 campaign, Mr Rawlings who is the founder of the NDC, opined that the NDC started losing the 2012 election within the first week of the Mills’ administration, and lost it finally, “eight months back”.
He therefore is calling for a change of leadership, to salvage the NDC.
“Ladies and gentlemen, 2012 was finally lost eight months back. So until we change gear, until we change the driver, and I say this without malice and any disrespect to the Prof; the time has come when the change must take place to enable us rescue this country,” Former President Rawlings said this to loud applause from supporters who had thronged the Accra International Conference Center.
Accusing the Mills’ faction of manipulating party delegates and postponing the congress’ date to suit them, Mr Rawlings however warned, “you will win, but you are going to lose the national election”.
He therefore tasked party delegates to vote wisely for Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to put the party back on track.
“The congress that is slated to take place in July should have taken place toward the end of last year, but when they did their research, they discovered that this lady’s (referring to Mrs Rawlings) score over theirs was going to be as high as 82%. When they discovered this, they decided to push the congress to march of this year. Approaching that time, they were still monitoring and bribing those they could bribe and the scale had fallen down to about 76%, some has fallen prey to the bribe. And that is where we stand; and that is why they decided to put it to July.”
“They could not go beyond July because it is becoming embarrassing to them and to all of us. They are hoping to be able to do as much damage as possible to the integrity of this party just so that they can stay in office, you will win but you will go and lose the national election. Ladies n gentlemen, let us wake up to the reality on the ground. This reality is on the ground, everybody knows it. Let us stop being selfish and do our duty. We need to do a change. I am not saying it out of spite because I have supported my friend when all the people he put around him deserted him”.
He however fell short of explaining how the NDC lost the yet-to-be-contested 2012 election, rather saying, “June 4 would be a time to share a lot more”.
Story by Abena Asiedua Tenkorang/ Xfm 95.1/ Accra/ Ghana
