Botchwey fears for his life

The internal crisis within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) continues to deepen day after day. Three days after the party?s national congress, which elected Prof John Evans Atta Mills as its flagbearer, a victory party was organised at Mills? campaign office for members and supporters of the party.

Almost all the party gurus were present at the function with the exception of Dr Kwesi Botchwey, his campaign them and his supporters. Although they were invited, they refused to honour the invitation because they felt that the organisers did not use the proper communication channel to invite them.

They were expecting the organisers to issue invitation cards instead of using the phone to invite them. A source close to Botchwey?s campaign team told The Evening News that anybody could have pulled a fast one on them by using the telephone to invite them.

According to the source, they considered the nasty incident that transpired at the congress on 21 December 2002 and felt that by attending the party, their lives could be in danger since their safety could not be guaranteed. They also considered the fact that the party was held at Mills? campaign office at Kuku Hill, Osu, instead of either the party?s headquarters or on neutral grounds.

The source said they were afraid of falling into the hands of the same thugs who harassed and maltreated them at the congress, hence their refusal to go. Asked whether the victory party could not be used as an avenue to settle personal scores and reconcile with each other, the source said. ?We were even afraid of what to take there in terms of food and drinks.?

The source said the Mills? camp had not considered seriously the issue of reconciliation of the two camps, otherwise the invitation to them would not have been mere telephone calls. ?What they could have done was to sit down with us and decide on what to do to bring the two factions together before organising the party,? the source said.

The source also said they were still waiting for the Mills? camp to do the proper thing by involving them in whatever decisions they take which would be in the interest of the party.

In spite of all these, the source said, they would in their own way work towards the party?s victory in the 2004 elections.