Questions On Ghana’s Rawlings’ 2012 Presidential Campaign

“Most things in life begin as questions without answers and end as answers without questions,” a quote from one of Africa’s best philosophical authors. This truism does not seem to apply in matters relating to “NANA KONADU AGYEMAN-RAWLINGS DR. (MRS)” – capitalized name and titles quoted from her letter of resignation to the NDC, dated 13th of April, 2011.

Indeed, the reverse is true with the former first lady and aspiring NDC flag bearer. Her very intriguing presidential campaign has begun as answers without questions. Ghanaians of all stations including this writer have been left scrambling to find unique questions that suit her campaign’s Machiavellian moves. Tongues are wagging, conspiracy theories abound and the ubiquitous Mr. Kofi Adams – the man who wears two hats, NDC deputy secretary and Rawlings’ family spokesman – has launched a media a-go-go, doing a delicate two step tango, spinning yarns of half baked truths from both sides of his single mouth.

ANSWER WITHOUT A QUESTION: October 24th 2010, News headline: Nana Konadu’s Posters are Out! Viola! Out of the expansive blue, Nana Konadu Agyemang–Rawlings’ 2012 campaign posters just materialized! The wonder sheets were found plastered all over Accra and other strategic Ghanaian cities and towns. These posters immediately raised eyebrows and solicited deserving questions: Where do they come from? Who is behind them? Do the Rawlingses know anything about them?

For months, the Rawlingses ignored the issue behaving as if it was no concern of theirs. Nana Konadu was mute; John Jerry went about his favorite pastime, BASHING PRESIDENT MILLS, ‘the man he single handedly planted in the Osu Castle.’ Even Kofi Adams, the designated mouth, was atypically sketchy on the issue. Meanwhile, more poster sightings continued. The initial claim of ownership came from the “group calling itself Foot Soldiers of the ruling National Democratic Congress.” Then FONKAR (friends of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings) busted on the scene with more claims of their own. Both groups maintain they acted on their own initiative without the good lady’s prior knowledge, hoping to draft her as their 2012 NDC presidential candidate.

Hmmm! What a bunch of good friends! Friends whose respect for her is so low that they thrust her publicly into a possible acrimonious party breaking campaign without privately seeking her opinion first? Or friends who think she is a spineless puppet whose strings can be manipulated to make her sing and dance without resistance into a presidential campaign? Or friends who know her so well that they knew of her deep nourished presidential ambitions? Is this whole business of “being drafted by friends” even genuine? Is this not an elaborate hoax, designed to throw wool into Ghanaian eyes, a typical bait and switch orchestration of the Rawlings’ song manuscript – a John Jerry comeback by proxy in a skirt?

ANSWER TO SOME QUESTION: April 13th 2011, News headline: “Nana Konadu resigns to contest NDC's Presidential slot.” Finally, after months of silence, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings herself provided a purposeful answer. She was resigning from the Vice Chairperson position of the National Democratic Congress to oblige other people; quote “to enable me respond to numerous calls on me to contest the Flagbearership of the NDC when nominations are opened.” Who is bothering her, check her phones?

Fellow Ghanaians, there we have it, from the ‘horse’s own mouth.’ Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings Dr. is the ultimate sacrificial lamb. At FONKAR’s bidding, she is offering her PURE, CORRUPTION FREE BODY on Ghana’s political altar to save the soul of the NDC from the “WHO BORN DOG GREEDY BASTARDS.” FONKAR and the so called foot soldiers knew something Nana Konadu herself did not know: They knew she wants to be President of Ghana!

Nana Konadu’s resignation letter and subsequent verbal confirmation in an Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem interview should have cleared all questions about her impending candidacy but it didn’t. Spokesman Kofi Adam’s follow up performance on Joy FM’s News File did not do the trick either. Their efforts have instead flung the flood gates wide open and gazillion of questions are gushing out.

QUESTIONS FOR THE NDC PARTY Is Nana Konadu Agyemang a viable candidate in a general election against the NPP? Will her challenge of the sitting President split the party? Will in fighting affect the NDC’s chances in the 2012 general elections? Has the NDC come clean about the role of former President Rawlings in the party’s creation? Was the 1992/93 narrative that PNDC supporters and sympathizers founded the NDC and drafted Ft. Lt. Rawlings as their Presidential candidate because of his charisma true? How come the NDC is claiming in 2010 that Ex-President Rawlings’ vision led to the formation of the party? When did Ft. Lt. Rawlings lay out his vision for creating the party? Where are the records of his pre-NDC speeches or plans for the party’s creation? Is he the founder because he bankrolled the party with Ghana’s money? Which of your two accounts is not factual: The charisma story of 1992/93 or the visionary story of 2010?

QUESTIONS FOR THE RAWLINGSES Nana Konadu, what is the real motive behind your challenge of president Mills? Are you challenging him because the NDC party has sidelined you, the Rawlingses? Didn’t you get the leverage you so desperately crave in party affairs and policy direction when you were elected ‘vice chairperson’ and your husband the Ex-President was designated ‘founder ’of the party? What prove do you (the Rawlingses) have to substantiate your accusation that the Mills camp of your party was trying to buy NDC delegates vote at a time when President Mill was the only declared Presidential candidate? How does a single candidate logically buy votes against non-existing opponents? And whose money is being used to buy those votes – Mills’ personal money, the party’s or Ghana’s?

Ex-President Rawlings, didn’t you reportedly impose candidate Mills on the NDC and stand by him through three attempts at the Presidency? What change(s) have you noticed in “the Professor” since his assumption of the presidency and do you regret getting him there? Are you opposing your former vice president because he will not heed unconditionally to your advice and numerous requests for vendettas against the opposition? Don’t you know that political vendettas and witch hunting are the root causes of all genocides in history? You rampage about ‘lack of jobs for the boys.’ What is the profession of the boys? Are they trained artisans, professional teachers, nurses etc. or just unruly party followers that need to be rewarded for dirty work done on behalf of party big wits? How about advocating for training for the boys so they can become productive members of society? By the way, were you expecting President Mills to be “your poodle” as the NPP was alleging in electioneering?

You preach accountability and probity accusing your opponents of corruption when they live above their publicly known means. You however are quick to explain any imbalance on your income-expenditure sheet as gifts from mysterious friends. Mysterious friends, paid for your children’s expensive education and life styles abroad because Ghanaians knew you could not afford it. Mysterious friends are currently financing Nana Konadu Agyemang’s campaign because you honestly cannot explain it otherwise to Ghanaians. Has it ever occurred to you that those you accuse of corruption may also have mysterious friends bankrolling their lifestyle? Since you are so clean, why do you need constitutional immunity?

Back in 1979, some of us were very proud to have a head of State who had a YOKOGARI credit account. He was one of us, the honest, struggling masses living within our means, a sharp contrast to the then opulent (SMC) Supreme Military Council. There were no mysterious friends bankrolling your above means expenditure. You have changed! Those who live in glass houses should stop throwing stones. If government officials are to be probed for corruption then the probe should start from the President or head of state. It should not just be the ministers, DCE’s, party functionaries and small fishes. Will you give your PNDC cooked immunity up so that your family and President Kuffour’s family can be probed? Isn’t it hypocritical that you want all Ghanaian politicians probed except yourself, family and cohorts?

Rawlings’ family spokesman Mr. Kofi Adams, you declared on Joy’s News file that Nana Konadu was present at the beginning of the NDC “during the meetings in the bushes.” In 1992/93 when the party was formed, the PNDC was in power and Ft. Lt. Rawlings was the head of state; why was his wife meeting folks in the bushes? Where were these bush meetings? Who were the participants? Who and what were they hiding from? What illicit activities were they engaging in? They could not have been hiding the formation of the NDC because the PNDC had lifted the ban on party politics unless of course they were funneling Ghana’s money. Mr. Adams, this is 2011 not 1981, stop insulting our intelligence.

Dear President Mills, isn’t it true that Ex-President Rawlings made your presidency possible? Why then have you bitten the hand that fed you? You are famously known for one remark “Dzi wo fie asem,” ‘handle the affairs of your house.’ Although that remark was referencing Ghana, your bigger house, don’t you think that you should equally handle the affairs of your two smaller houses, the NDC party and your cabinet ministers? Are you aware that every single person (including the Wayo man himself) that vouches for your personal integrity labels your cabinet and inner circle as corrupt in the same sentence?

Do you remember your 2009 answer to the journalist who asked why some of your ministers had not declared their assets as demanded by the constitution? You sir, answered; “I have declared mine, go and ask those who have not done so why:” What kind of leadership is that? Do you ever wonder why nobody heeded your 7 day Presidential fiat? How come that your party the NDC has been tethering on a cliff face ever since you became its leader? Why couldn’t you all make the ‘Kum bay ya, my Lord’ moment at the end of the Tamale conference last? How do you think posterity will judge your stewardship, even if you win re-election, should there be a schism of your party on your watch? Good luck, sir!

Written and submitted by L. Kojo Yeboah Raleigh, NC USA