Former president Jerry John Rawlings recently came out and attempted to make belief the notion that the NDC does not listen to him. What a coincidence. After years of dominating everything that is the National Democratic Congress (NDC), why did he choose this time to insinuate that they don’t listen to him? Could it be that the notion of an Atta Mills administration being in fact a third Rawlings administration is resonating with the voting public such that he feels he has to deflate it? Many saw the ploy for what it is, and here are the reasons why:
Number 10 – They are scared of him. We all recall what happened to the last person to disagree with him in public. He slapped the daylights out of him. After that incident, it was established that Rawlings is the final judge of what happens in the NDC. Those who could not take it any longer had to leave or face physical assault for disagreeing. Since then, fisticuffs have become the standard in the NDC. Their MPs are doing it in Parliament, and at their national congress, Rawlings’ boys “took care” of those who dared to oppose King Rawlings.
Number 9 – They think like him. Education is not everything, but a lack of it or a short supply of it can limit open-mindedness, which is an oxymoron with the NDC. How else can the same people who denied free speech turn around and abuse the right when offered to them? How else would the same people who executed people without fair trial turn around and complain about injustice from an administration that respects the rule of law and has not taken a single life? And how else would the same people talk about unity when they turn down awards, albeit undeserved, from the president of the opposition party bent on extending an olive branch?
Number 8 – NDC is the real tribal party. Much has been said about the myth of NPP being an Ashanti party. The records of both parties depict otherwise. During the NDC era, Ewe’s occupied an estimated 14.5% of government positions that were at par with or higher than directorial level even though the tribal group comprised 8.8% of Ghana’s population. Meanwhile, throughout the NPP administration, Ashantis make up an estimated 11.2% of directorial or higher government positions despite accounting for 17.3% of the entire population. To this date, the owner of NDC has ensured that the Ewe domination continues in that party.
Number 7 – The party of no ideas. It’s simple; if you have ideas, you will clash with Rawlings because he does not entertain those that are different from his. And everyone knows you do not cross Rawlings. This understanding has created an environment that has discouraged new ideas from coming to the fore. No wonder the only ideas that seem to flourish are those creative methods of criticizing the NPP government. Even that they mostly supply them to Rawlings so that he can issue them.
Number 6 – An idle Mind is the Devil’s mind. Give the devil his due. Being a living former president is itself a decent attribute of Rawlings’ because those are a rarity in Africa. They don’t leave until they are removed, sometimes with fatal consequences. But almost every African former president has taken on a cause. For example, Nelson Mandela is working closely with Bill Clinton on the global AIDS initiative. Rawlings’ only cause is to sit around and watch for an opening to criticize the present government, drowning the voice of Minority Leader Bagbin, the natural owner of that role.
Number 5 – Leadership in Short supply in NDC. One has to wonder, though, if the Bagbins and the Mills really know how to exert their presence. Looking back, it’s hard to remember the last time any of these two gentlemen and others within the party came out with any innovative leadership ideas for their party faithfuls to follow. And if they cannot even lead their own dying minority party, how can they lead a now vibrant Ghana?
Number 4 – He is a media darling. One of the possible reasons why they may be taking a backseat to Rawlings is that the media loves him. Mills could make a statement that would fly right past the journalists. But let Rawlings make the same statement, and they would flock to publish it. Atta Mills has, thus ceded the media limelight to his former boss. Makes you wonder who would really be the boss in the off chance that the NDC wins the presidency.
Number 3 – The problem with sole Foundership. Most political parties including the NPP in Ghana, and the ANC in South Africa were formed by a group of people with shared ideas and beliefs. When a party is formed in that manner, no single individual can lay claim to the party’s existence. Not so with the NDC. It was formed by a then military dictator called Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings who established a dictatorial culture from the onset. Nearly two decades later, that culture still exists regardless of who is its presidential candidate.
Number 2 – Misplaced charisma. Rawlings has managed to build a permanent following by whipping up tribal hatred. Thus, even though Ghana has moved far ahead of her neighbors in the area of tribalism, those who continue to follow Rawlings and the NDC mostly do so because seeing the light means sleeping with people they have been trained to hate. That means Rawlings’ popularity within the NDC is in his ability to stir up such hatred.
Number 1 – Atta Mills is weak. Does Atta Mills have the balls to take on Rawlings on the very rare occasion that he sees things differently? Not in his lifetime. He knows fully well what happened to those who tried that approach. His predecessor VP Akah got slapped; and Obed Asamoah was sent packing to go form his own party if he though he had a mind of his own. Notwithstanding this culture, as the bona fide presidential candidate, Mills is supposed to lead the NDC. That he is ceding that role to Rawlings is indicative of the reality that he would not be able to muster the balls to keep Rawlings from the Castle if elected president.
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