Mills may bow out

`As NDC Popular Revolt Topples Fante Caucus

When the leadership of the National Democratic Congress meets next week to discuss the hydra-headed problems facing the party, two crucial issues will be on the table.

One would be the demand on the part of the leadership to be briefed accurately on the Mills health situation; and the other would be the Medusa grip that a handful of political goons, who officially hold no positions in the party have on the NDC, which is stifling initiative and drive at the level of the national leadership, as well as the need for a healthy atmosphere within which rank and file activists can contribute effectively and positively to Election 2008.

This is in spite of the almost wildfire proportion rumours regarding the alleged `deteriorating health` on the streets, and rife suspicion that the Fante Caucus in the party which is privy to the details, for strange reasons, `have left the leadership in the dark, regarding the true state of affairs of Mill's health issue.`

The leadership is also likely to discuss allegations that, whilst they have been kept in the dark, one top FM network has the details on his health on the file of their Editors and Programmes Manager, with instructions to drop it in the open at the appropriate time.

Incidentally, not even decent party gurus like the former Minister of Finance, Mr. Kwame Peprah, is aware of the `true state of health` of Mills, according to our sources at Kuku Hill and on the corridors of the NDC headquarters. This act has compelled some concerned members of the party to move to South Africa to request a copy `in the interest of the party, after unsuccessful and repeated attempts to have him and his handlers come clean on the issue to enable the party inform itself on the way forward.` The leadership would be making that demand from the Caucus, since as one party chief put it: `it is only the party`s interest that must supersede all other private and confidential interests.`

Mills` failure to show up last Tuesday and Wednesday and information to the leadership that he was returning to Ghana next week have all gone to fuel the speculation that he may not be fit enough to run in the 2008 elections, though by press time, reports reaching GO from our medical and diplomatic sources indicated that his health condition had `somehow improved.`

Unassailable information reaching GO also indicates that a clique in the party was advising Mills to hold on, `when Mills himself had earlier before he even emplaned for South Africa, dropped hints on quitting to give way to another nominee to save the party.`

The Fante Caucus in the NDC have been consistently accused of `too much unnecessary power games that have resulted in otherwise faithful, committed and dedicated cadres of the party having been sidelined or kicked from the frontline of party activity.` Our unassailable sources lamented that the cut-throat politics of the Caucus had been pervasive since the days of the PNDC. Then, after they had succeeded in using that clout in bringing Mills on board the NDC train as flagbearer of the party and de facto head of the NDC, the situation went from bad to worse.

According to our sources, former President Rawlings`s statement that `there are a few personalities in the NDC` who had become intoxicated with the smell of power and hate for him and his wife even to the point that they were unable to see how their greed, selfishness and lust were becoming an obstacle to the party`s victory, sums up the frustrations of the rank and file of the party, brought about by the scheming of the politically ubiquitous Fante Caucus.

The fact still remains, however, that Mills may be replaced by the NDC.

For now, the strategy of the forces of change is for his handlers and himself to throw in the towel or have those handlers - the Fante Caucus - thrown into political oblivion by the force of change blowing in the party.

For Mills to stay or weather the storm, however, he would need strong legal and constitutional crutches to lean on, GO was told. None, however, the party insists, would be more potent than the right - the supreme right of the party -to have its interests superseding private and cliquish ones.

Whichever way the wind blows, the NDC is obviously at the cross-roads over a major shake up in the party, with Mills likely to sign out - in spite of reports that the Fante Caucus is notoriously demanding that he names a running mate before his painful, unexpected exit.