NDC panic over JJ

Daniel Nonor

 

There is an uneasy calm within the rank and file of the ruling National Democratic Congress over the recent assumed posture of its founder, Mr. Rawlings.

The party have over the past few years had strained relationship with their founder. Mr. Rawlings has often times criticized the party he founded with his own blood, for straying from the ideals of probity and accountability upon which he built the party.

Mr. Rawlings has also criticized the leadership of his party for ditching the country and allowing corruption to thrive under their watch. He had often referred to the corrupt elements in the party as “greedy bastards” who will stop at nothing to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses.

Mr. Rawlings has also not hesitated to point out the follies of some young persons in the party, those he refers to as “babies with hard teeth,” who he says have lost respect for the elders in the party, including he and his wife.

All these pronouncements of Mr. Rawlings have been within the tolerance levels of the party, but his recent meeting with flag bearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo  has sent new shock waves into the party, leaving them contemplating on initiating possible sanctions against their founder.

Last Thursday, Nana Addo’s meeting with Mr. Rawlings sent new signals onto the county’s political scene and political analysts have since been discussing its implication on the outcome and fortunes of both the NDC and NPP in the December elections.

Information gathered from the camp of the NDC indicate that aside the seething anger some party members have expressed about their founder’s meeting with their political rival, top guns of the party have been turning  the pages of the NDC constitution, looking for  clauses to hang their founder on.

The Chronicle is informed that those looking for the opportunity to throw Mr. Rawlings off his own venture have been reading article eight (8) of the NDC constitution as a cult book since Thursday.

Article 8 of the NDC constitution states:

A Party member may be subjected or may be made subject to Party discipline for any of the following:
a. breach of any of the provisions of this Constitution;
b. anti-Party conduct or activities likely to embarrass party or bring the Party into hatred, ridicule, or contempt;

c. insubordination or negligence in the executive of lawful decisions or directives of the Party by members or officers of the party;
b. Where the grievance is against any National Officer of the Party
d. unauthorized disclosure of confidential Party information; and
e. any other act or omission likely to impact adversely on the effectiveness of the Party’s policies, programmes and strategies.

The Chronicle is reliably informed that proponents of the agenda to expunge Mr. Rawlings from the party have been quick to identify Mr. Rawlings’ recent conduct to “any other act or omission likely to impact adversely on the effectiveness of the Party’s policies, programmes and strategies,” which attracts disciplinary action.

A deputy minister of Energy, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has not hidden his resolve to lead a crusade to expel Mr. Rawlings from the party, should his behaviour and actions contravene provisions in the party’s constitution.

“We are in a country governed by rule of law and not rule of men… and I say in all sincerity that my reading of the NDC Constitution clearly shows that any person who holds himself in such a manner that contravenes the NDC Constitution and what the party stands for, stands the risk of a disciplinary action and that might lead to expunging the name of Jerry John Rawlings”, the Deputy Minister said on Citi FM’s news and current affairs program, The Big Issue.

The problem the party seems to have with the implementation of any such sanctions against Mr. Rawlings is the question of who to master the courage to initiate the disciplinary process, aside running of their mouths in the closet.

Mr. Rawlings has given clear indications that he might not be seen on the campaign trail of the NDC, a thing he almost assured Nana Addo of during their maiden meeting last Thursday.

His wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, also finally broke ties with the NDC to join the newly formed National Democratic Party as its flagbearer.

 

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