Feelers picked up by The Republic indicate that as the 33rd anniversary of the June 4th uprising that rocked Ghana’s political landscape approaches, some top government appointees as well as senior members of the opposition New Patriotic Party, NPP, are developing butterflies in their stomach over what Flt. Lt. (Rtd) Jerry John Rawlings may say when he mounts the platform in Tamale, the official venue for the celebration on Friday.
In government circles, some leading figures fear Rawlings would use the occasion to attack them for their acts of omission and or commission. Some government Ministers, according to sources, have as a result chosen to stay away from the celebrations. A Rawlings insider told this paper that the Former President is likely to use the celebration on Friday to lash out at the arrogant posture of some within the hierarchy of the Mills Administration as well as the seemingly ostentatious lifestyle of some of them at a time foot soldiers of the party are being told to shut up.
Already, the Minister for Information, John Tia, has indicated that President Mills would not be part of the celebration. Many within the NDC see the President’s refusal to take part in celebrating an event that in the long run gave birth to the NDC through whose platform he became President as a betrayal of the NDC as well as all the fallen heroes of the May 15 and June 4 uprisings and the 31st December revolution, sacrifices that ultimately led to the NDC coming into existence. Another visible figure that stayed away from the June 4th celebration last year is Vice-President John Mahama. Party big wigs like Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and Ama Benyiwa-Doe who were part and parcel of the June 4 celebrations years ago have become visible absentees.
Flt. Lt. Rawlings, Dr. Tony Aidoo, NDC National Chairman Kwabena Adjei, Kofi Porturphy, Mike Hammer and Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, National Security Co-ordinator, among a few others have, however, kept faith with the celebrations and continue to put in an appearance.
On the NPP side, the fear of party big men, especially members of the Akuffo Addo camp is that Rawlings would descend heavily on the Abuakwa lawyer and 2008 defeated presidential candidate of the party.
“Well, the fear is natural. Rawlings is no mean personality. He can do collateral damage to Nana Akuffo-Addo especially as the D-day to choose our flagbearer approaches,” an Akuffo-Addo insider told The Republic.
The NPP hierarchy in general is apprehensive over the anniversary as they see it as another opportunity for Rawlings to attack Former President Kufuor and once again dig out such issues like the murder of the Ya-Na and Alhaji Mobila as well as various criminal acts perpetrated by the party while in power.
