Contrary to denials by some prominent members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), that there is no intention on the part of the Rawlings faction to form a new party, The Statesman says it can reveal that plans are indeed far advanced for the formation of a splinter party from the NDC.
The decision of the pro-Rawlings group to form a new party was first broken by The Daily Dispatch. This was confirmed in a letter written to the editor of the Dispatch, Ben Ephson, by a key member of the parliamentary caucus of the NDC.
This was denied by Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, the former General Secretary of the party and now Vice Chairman. But another member of the pro-Rawlings group has confirmed to The Statesman in veiled language, that indeed, they would form another party.
“If at our congress in December the party gets hijacked by people who have not got the interest of the party at heart, why not, we shall leave it for them and form our own party”, he told the Statesman. He added further, “after all, we have the most charismatic leader Ghana has ever had to mastermind our campaign”.
According to this pro-Rawlings group member, the performance of the NDC in the 2000 general elections shows that “NDC is Rawlings and Rawlings is NDC”.
Members of the Rawlings camp see Dr Kwasi Botchwey’s declaration of his intention to contest the NDC’s presidential race as an attempt by Dr. Obed Asamoah to hijack the party.
They have therefore launched an all-out attack, seeking to question Dr Botchwey’s commitment to the party. Two of the most outspoken members, Dr Tony Aidoo and Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who had maintained some silence for a long time, have of late gone to town again on Obed Asamoah, calling him inefficient and incompetent.
According to Tony Aidoo, Obed Asamoah’s leadership has emasculated the party”. The Queen of the Rawlings faction, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings recently told Radio Gold, that members of the party must not vote for people who abandoned the party in times past stressing, “they must vote for people who stuck to the party through thick and thin”.
Buttressing “Her Lordship’s point, Ekwow Spio-Grabrah in another interview with Radio Gold last Monday 2nd September, 2002, said Kwesi Botchwey had called the Rawlings all sort of names in the past. But if he is repentant of his utterances and wants to rejoin the rank of the party he is welcome.” But Spio-Grabrah’s “he is welcome” actually means he is not welcome. In their heart of hearts, the pro-Rawlings group has sworn not to work for the NDC if Kwesi Botchwey carries the day at their congress.
Statesman’s investigation has however shown that Kwesi Botchwey is likely to carry the day. Members of the NDC The Statesman spoke to have alluded to Atta Mills’s lack of shine and lustre as reason he is incapable of leading the NDC to any election victory.
“If Rawlings’ charisma did not win Atta Mills the Presidency in 2000, there is no reason it will ever do”, said one NDC supporter. Kwesi Botchwey is regarded by most NDC supporters as one who will be his own man. That he will not lick the boots of the Rawlingses. He is also a polyglot, an ability that is likely to endear him to the hearts of many Ghanaians.
If indeed Kwesi Botchwey gets the nod of the NDC delegates, the Rawlings camp have sworn not to deal with him. They shall then form another party. In that case, an NDC split is indeed in the offing because observers believes the Obed machinery is too sharp for the Rawlings.
