NDC riding on Rawlings’ death for political gains – NDP
The National Democratic Party (NDP), a party founded by the wife of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of attempting to take advantage of death of the late former president for political gains.
According to the party, the NDC, through its flagbearer, is attempting to hijack the burial and funeral rites of the late former president.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the General Secretary of the party, Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong said he was surprised at the NDC’s sudden U-turn after they had maligned the late Rawlings in his last days.
He also expressed surprise at comments made by the NDC’s General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, accusing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of attempting to hijack the funeral.
Mr Asiedu had said in an interview that “Everything about this funeral, so far, depicts an attempt by an opponent to hijack the funeral of the founding father of our political party, and we don’t think the funeral of our party founder ought to be organised somewhere, and we get invited.”
A comment, Alhaji Frimpong describes as smacking of hypocrisy.
He said, “There have been some attempts by some elements to desecrate the legacy and name of the late president even after his demise. These acts are being perpetrated by persons who have shown a desire to constantly humiliate Rawlings and his family when he was alive…They have tried to harvest where they have not planted.
“We are troubled that some of these same persons upon the demise of Rawlings now seek to lead in mourning the man. They have begun to shed crocodile tears. If John Mahama managed to profit from the death of Prof Mills, he should not be allowed to do same with the demise of our beloved president Rawlings.”
Citing several instances where the NDC had deliberately side-lined its founder because he (Rawlings) had “a voice of conscience”, Alhaji Mohammed said “in an attempt to unduly benefit from his demise, the leadership of the NDC are embroiled in a desperate battle against the state and the Rawlings family over who has the right to conduct the funeral rights of the late President.”
Citing several instances where the NDC had deliberately side-lined its founder because he (Rawlings) had “a voice of conscience”, Alhaji Mohammed said “in an attempt to unduly benefit from his demise, the leadership of the NDC are embroiled in a desperate battle against the state and the Rawlings family over who has the right to conduct the funeral rights of the late President.”
NDP's press conference on the demise of former President Rawlings