"We Voted In Fear"

Some Central regional delegates from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have stated that Rawlings influenced most of the delegates from the central region to vote for Professor Atta Mills.

Speaking to the Daily Guide last Saturday December 21, at the NDC extra-ordinary National Delegates Congress on condition of anonymity, the delegates said they were not surprised that Mills won by such a wide margin of 1.116 votes, since Rawlings went to all lengths to threaten as well as influence some of the delegates.

The delegates did not elaborate however on the kind of influence Rawlings had or them. The delegates who are sympathisers to Botchwey stated however that they have nothing against professor Mills, but feel that although he had won the flagbearer position of the party, Prof Atta Mills is not capable of winning the 2004 presidential elections.

They said the reason why most delegates voted for Mills was because they fear that should Botchwey win; the possibilities are that Rawlings would leave the party. They added that this was the main reason why the delegates voted for Mills massively.

At one stage, the Mills supporters started singing in Ga language saying “Ke Botchwey Winnie eba fei Gbeei. “To wit, “If Botchwey wins, it would be deadly for the NDC.” To that end supporters of Prof. Atta Mills mounted a sustained intimidation and assault on Kwesi Botchwey’s supporters whom they described as infiltrators from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) camp trying to come and destroy their vision and goal. Wielding sticks batons, knives and whips, these groups of Mills supporters mainly from the North angrily and mercilessly visited mayhem on anybody in Botchwey’s T-shirt. Moving in groups they liberally used these batons sticks, and whips specially made for that assignment.

Dr Botchwey and his beautiful daughter, who came to give moral support to her father together with Mr Mike Gizo, the head of Botchwey’s campaign team, were also labeled as NPP implants. They were seriously heckled and manhandled by rowdy supporters of Mills when the three arrived to be ushered into the congress hall.

Unfortunately some students of the University of Ghana, Legon who were on campus and were rooting for Dr Botchwey were not spared the road. They were mercilessly whipped by these aggressive whipped by these aggressive Mills’ supporters from the North who seemed intent on casting fear into all those against Mills. One Supporter of Botchwey was said to have been knifed by these angry supporters who did everything to prevent support for Dr Botchwey.