Konadu For 2012?

SPOKESPERSON FOR the Rawlingses, Kofi Adams, has told Ghanaians not to be surprised if they see new faces on the ballot papers during the 2012 presidential elections.

Dropping the hint that Nana Konadu might contest the presidential polls, Mr. Adams predicted that certainly some new faces that the electorate never thought would appear on the ballot papers might end up showing on them contesting for the presidency.

Kofi Adams however refused to mention the names of the people whose portraits he was sure might appear on the ballot papers on election day.

His statement left room for speculations that he was referring to Nana Konadu.

Addressing a large gathering of NDC members in Kumasi last Friday when Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings stormed the city to thank NDC members for their support during the party’s recent delegates’ congress in Sunyani, where the former First Lady lost to President Mills, the NDC deputy General Secretary deepened the speculations about Nana Konadu’s political future as regards the 2012 polls.

He implored all aggrieved NDC members to put their anger behind and patronize the voter registration exercise when the Electoral Commission opened the register.

“You may think that the candidate you support is not contesting for any seat therefore you will not register when the registration exercise starts in the country very soon.

“But you may end up making a big mistake because the person you thought would not take part in the elections might end up having his picture on the ballot papers, contesting for a position.”

Kofi Adams said if that scenario happened, those that failed to register and were unable to vote might regret not registering in the first place, adding, “Certainly pictures of some of your favourite candidates would appear on the ballot paper”.

“From now to the election day, anything can happen,” he said, and admonished NDC supporters in the country to register when the electoral register was opened to avert being disappointed.

“Don’t deny yourself the opportunity to vote, make sure you register,” he said, stressing further that “anything can happen from now to the election day in 2012.”

Kofi Adams said the issues that some concerned NDC supporters raised and eventually called on Nana Konadu to contest for the NDC flagbearership were still relevant and persisted.

Though Nana Konadu could not win the NDC presidential slot to deal with the issues raised prior to congress, he stated, there were still so many ways of dealing with the problems raised “that made you invite Nana Konadu to contest the congress”.

He urged NDC delegates not to stoop so low by taking money before voting in the party’s parliamentary polls, saying, “You should vote for genuine NDC members that have the concerns of the party at heart”.

Kofi Adams also charged the grassroots members to contest for positions in the polling station and constituency levels to enable them to have a proper say in the future direction of the party.

Meanwhile, Nana Konadu has also implored all NDC supporters to register in large numbers to enable them to exercise their franchise during the 2012 presidential and parliamentary polls.

She promised to personally visit the constituencies to educate party members about the need for them to register to cast their vote in the national elections.

Nana Konadu, wife of NDC founder, Jerry John Rawlings, complained about what she described as falsehood being peddled against her and the former First Family.

She claimed that some leading members of the party, especially those with unflinching support to President Atta Mills, concocted lies and falsehoods against the Rawlingses prior to the party’s congress in Sunyani last month and that they had not relented even after congress.

Nana Konadu, who was accompanied by two of her daughters, Amina and Yaa Asantewaa, said with the level of deterioration in the country, it was only divine intervention that could save the situation.

She also described as untrue allegations that she refused to heed the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s order that she should step down from contesting President Mills at the NDC congress.

Nana Konadu said allegations that she contested President Mills for the NDC flagbearership because her demand for five ministerial positions be allocated to her supporters was turned down was also false.

“Before the congress some lies were told and are still being told, some say I asked for five ministerial appointments in addition to money before I would step down from the contest.

That is not true; if you hear all these claims please ignore them,” she charged.

Nana Konadu said she still stood by her beliefs that influenced her decision to contest President Mills for the NDC flagbearership.

The President of the 31st December Women’s Movement said her electoral loss had not dimmed her hopes and aspirations of striving for better reforms to take place in the NDC, notably among the grassroots.

She said it was her wish to win the presidential position in the NDC so that she would be in the position to personally put a stop to the incessant hardships and agony confronting the NDC foot-soldiers across the country.

“I still stand by the principles that motivated me to contest for the NDC flagbearership although I did not win. I have not given up on that, truth and justice, job for the grassroots, job for the organizers, job for the leaders, job for the executives; I still stand for these values and convictions. I will continue to fight for truth to ensure that the NDC is stronger and becomes the best.”