NDC leadership must help with Rawlings, Boakye-Djan reconciliation – Agbee

A security and governance expert, David Agbee, has called on the elders of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to swiftly move to settle the indifference between two pillars of the party: Jerry Rawlings and Major Rtd. Kojo Boakye-Djan.

The two ex military men have a long standing feud which seems to be getting bad by the day. Some have linked the bad blood to the neglect of Major Boakye -Djan after he helped Mr. Rawlings wrestle power from General F K. Akuffo.

Speaking on the Morning Xpress on Tuesday, the security expert noted that it was true Mr. Boakye-Djan was very instrumental in the coup d’etat that saw “a political resettlement” in Ghana, but advised that he opens up to negotiations that will make them two smoke a peace pipe.

“Major Boakye -Djan is a soldier and will always be a soldier. He was at the fore front of it (June 4). . .the NDC elders need to find a way to settle that disagreement between JJ and Major Boakye Gyan,” Mr Agbee said.

He attributed the disagreement between the two to their inability to settle their individual differences when the coup happened.

“Some of us know exactly the role that Major Boakye played [in the June 4 revolution along the way he was not taken good care of,” he narrated indicating that “psychologically and emotionally he [Boakye-Djan] was not feeling well” about it.

While advising that the two of them “cannot harbour all these”, Mr Agbee said since the June uprising till date, Ghana has never suffered any coup and thus brings a political resettlement to the country hence it should not be seen as evil thing that will get between two leaders of a party.

I am Party Father

Major Rtd. Boakye -Djan on Tuesday reignited the controversy of who owns the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), claiming he was the legitimate father of the party and should be seen as such by party members.

He revealed on the Morning Xpress that, his efforts brought forth the historic Coupe D’etat on June 4,1979 that brought former president Jerry John Rawlings to power.

“I am the party father of NDC. Take it or leave it. . . I’m a father of June 4 and any party political tradition that traces its origin to that makes me the father of that party. I don’t need anybody to confer that title on me, I fought for it and I got it,” he disclosed.

The retired Major said people had distorted the history of the June 4 Revolution and that time was up he made issues clear to all that it was him that saved Mr. Rawlings at the eve of the historic day when the then military government of the Supreme Military Council (SMC II) of General F K. Akuffo had imprisoned Mr. Rawlings.

He vowed that he would not sit aloof for the party to die after the demise of Mr. Rawlings.

“If we are not careful the NDC will also disappear like other parties that have come and gone. . .The significance of that event is that NDC as a party today has a party political tradition that was born out of the barrel of the gun. If I don’t stand up today and proclaim the future of NDC, it will die,” he added.

The coup that brought Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings to power in Ghana 1979 was led by Mr. Boakye –Djan. He has said that the main purpose was to save Mr. Rawlings, who was facing a possible death sentence for planning a coup in the previous month. However Mr Rawlings has debunked such claim and has on many occasions called the Major a “coward” who failed to live up to the task of ousting the then government.

June 4 Celebration Not Crime

Mr. Boakye-Djan said the commemoration of the event “can’t decriminalized” saying it is one of the foundations of the NDC and if it is observed, its originator ought to be recognised as a party Father.

“I said that gun was directed at a military regime that came to power illegally. It was not born out of illegality, June 4 allows us to celebrate accountability. It is Completely different from the coups in 1966, 1972 and 1981,” he explained saying “it is not that I’m bitter. It is not personal. It is a principle.”