Koku Anyidoho reveals why his relationship with Rawlings has been cordial of late

Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has admitted that his relationship with former President Jerry John Rawlings has seen a significant improvement and he owes everything to the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.

In an interview on Happy FM, Wednesday, Mr. Anyidoho mentioned that the late Mills nurtured him and emphasized the need to never disrespect Mr. Rawlings although he [Anyidoho] never intended to malign the founder of the party.

He recalled how some personalities in the party attempted to coerce him into spewing damaging remarks about Rawlings during the days of the pro-Rawlings faction, Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (FONKAR) which supported the candidacy of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, and the anti-Rawlings bloc that backed then President John Evans Atta Mills, christened Get Atta Mills Endorsed (GAME).

“I remember one time, someone in the heat of the FONKAR game thing, called me and said why am I sitting there while these FONKAR boys are going after President Mills and you’re not responding,” he said.

“Somebody called me to go after Rawlings; literally go and insult Rawlings. I wasn’t going to do it anyway. But I had to go to my boss and inform him. He exclaimed, asked me to sit and said ‘Koku, never insult Rawlings in your life. Whoever told you to insult Rawlings, it is a trap. The person wants to destroy your political career. The person can see potential in you and wants to destroy you that’s why he wants you to insult Rawlings. The day you insult Rawlings, that’s the end of your political career.’

“After his death, I got approached by the Office of President Rawlings. We’ve spoken, we’ve discussed a number of issues. And I actually told him this story of what President Mills told me."

Asked about how he feels around Rawlings, a personality known to have had squabbles with Mills, Anyidoho said whatever happened between his mentor and Rawlings is part of life.

“It happens. All I know is that President Rawlings has a lot of respect for President Mills and vice versa. The records are there,” he said.

Prof Atta Mills died on July 24 at the 37 Military Hospital; three days after his 68th birthday. It’s been eight years since his passing and there are plans for the commemoration of his demise.