OMG: Rawlings Review Atta Mills ....

Founder of the National Democratic Congress, and former President Jerry John Rawlings, has sought to explain the reasons for the fallout in his relationship with the late President Atta Mills, suggesting the late law professor by his actions undermined him and his family. 

In an interview with Accra-based GHOne TV, the former President, who became an avowed critic of the late President until his shocking demise, explained that he had issues with him [Atta Mills] because the late President appointed officials who undermined him and his family.
 

“When I look at him and I look at this John, there are few too many commonalities but this John did not line up people on the promises of job when you insult and fabricate things against me and my wife and my family as he did, as Mills did.” Jerry Rawlings, also holds the view that the late President’s demise gave the National Democratic Congress (NDC) the needed boost to win the 2008 general elections. 

“If God hadn’t invited him, NDC would have gone to opposition. It was terrible. The climate was really bad for us. It was his departure that gave NDC a saving grace to John but I think he could have done much better for us.” 

Rawlings brought Mills into political limelight after falling out with the then vice president, the late Kow Nkensen Arkaah in 1996, former President Rawlings plucked John Atta Mills from obscurity to partner him in the 1996 general elections. 

Notwithstanding Rawlings’ trust in Mills, some leading members of the NDC kicked against his unilateral decision, which came to be known in political circles as the ‘Swedru Declaration’. 

Besides the notion that the late President undermined Mr. Rawlings, the NDC stalwarts fell out with some speculating that this was because of Mills’ inability to meet Rawlings’ expectations and the lack of communication between the two when Mills became President. 

Rawlings also described the then sitting president as a “Konongo Kaya” meaning a head porter who is not prepared to carry a load, yet will prevent others from doing so.