John Mahama wanted to silence former President Rawlings – NDP

Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, the Secretary-General of the National Democratic Party (NDP) has alleged that there were attempts by John Dramani Mahama, who is the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to silence its founder, former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, when he was alive.

At a press conference organised by the party on Monday, November 23, Alhaji Frimpong stated that, now that Rawlings is no more, Mahama finds it expedient to utilize his death by galvanizing support for his weakening base within the NDC and the country at large to salvage his 2020 campaign which is yielding no result.

“Suddenly, these individuals in the NDC under the current leadership of John Mahama who publicly vilified Jerry John Rawlings have rediscovered a new voice proclaiming themselves to be the true adherents of his ideals. Those who publicly described JJ using unpleasant words such as calling him ‘a barking dog’ are now hailing him. Why?” Alhaji Frimpong quizzed.

Alhaji Frimpong recalled a Unity Walk in Ho in 2018, where John Dramani Mahama labelled the late former President Rawlings as a ‘Volta god’ who Voltarians did not need to worship.

Alhaji Frimpong said, “In fact, he [Mahama] is quoted as saying, ‘We have worshipped the Volta god for so long. It is time to build the party beyond individuals. No sacrifice would please him.’ This was a classic situation where John Mahama made a futile attempt to turn Voltarians against their hero.”

Alhaji Frimpong alleged, “Voltarians who felt they were going to be safe under the leadership of John Mahama were given the shock of their lives when Mahama deliberately sponsored candidates to remove all Voltarians from the leadership of the NDC during the national [executive election]. Today, there is not a single Voltarian elected to a substantive position, not as a deputy but as a national executive in Mahama’s NDC.”

He added: “Today, the same Mahama who admonished Voltarians against what he claimed as worshipping of the ‘Volta god’ is frantically exploiting the death of the same ‘Volta god’ to salvage his failing political ambitions. It is too late!”

He further claimed: “What they do not know or perhaps have deliberately overlooked is the fact that they are robbing the late president of a befitting send-off. Or maybe that is what they want. They desperately want to reduce his send-off from a befitting state burial to a party funeral just so they can benefit politically.”