I detest Rawlings’ politics – Kweku Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide; Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has expressed intense dislike for Former President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings’ ideologies and or stance as far as politics is concerned.

Speaking at the 13th Kronti ne Akwamu lecture in Accra, the veteran journalist indicated that despite his admiration for Rawlings’ “fantastic personality”, he absolutely has issues with him and particularly, cannot stand his political perspectives.

“My own very good friend, Former President Rawlings also, I have difficulties with, He is a fantastic personality socially but his politics I detest”, he admitted.

Kweku Baako who was the main speaker at the event blatantly expressed disfavor for the National Democratic Congress. He explained that though he would readily support the party’s policies if they promote development in the country, he, under no circumstance would endorse the party.

Citing reasons for his firm stance on the issue, he indicated that the NDC had overthrown his party (NPP) in the Third Republic. The Coup D’état led by Fl. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings that saw several public officials, military persons and businessmen jailed and prosecuted was also for him another factor that contributes to his dislike for the party.

According to him, he like some others were imprisoned, in his case for two years just for opposing the coup at the time.

“I’ll be dishonest for instance if I say I like the NDC or I endorse the NDC, I’ll be dishonest, don’t take me seriously, I don’t, for good reasons; the party I mean. But when an NDC administration is in government and it initiates policies that are positive and progressive, I support them and I’ve done that so many times, and a lot of my friends in NPP get angry with me and attack me, so I draw a distinction, policies that are good, projects that are good, regardless of the color of the regime, whether NDC or CPP or NPP, I look at that project and back it.”

"But when it comes to the political stance on a party like the NDC, because of their genesis, you see, they overthrew our party in the Third Republic and then when they came, they formed three or four parties……so I have a problem with the NDC. And then the Coup D’état that brought the PNDC into being…it was a matter of conviction, a matter of principle, I went to jail for that, for opposing them. I was in jail for two years, just because of the opposition to the coup so yes, I’m bias when it comes to some of those issues.", he maintained.

The event which came off on Friday July 6 was organized by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD).