Some leading members of the NDC, who played critical roles in the party’s formation have condemned the life patron of the Democratic Freedom Party, Dr. Obed Asamoah for saying former president Rawlings is not the founder of the ruling NDC.
They have described his statement as unnecessary and inaccurate.
Dr. Asamoah recently announced his party’s re-union with the mother party. He challenged the popular knowledge that Rawlings was the founder of the party.
He insisted the NDC has founders and not a founder. But in a statement, eight leading members of the NDC, namely Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi, Sherry Aryeetey, E. T. Mensah, Alhaji Mahama Iddrissu, Totobe Quarkyie, P. V Obeng, Kwame Peprah and Nana Ato Dadzie rejected Dr. Asamoah’s assertion.
According to them, although former president Rawlings did not sign any document that led to the formation of the party, it was on his ideals and principles that the NDC was formed.
They said this undisputedly makes Rawlings the founder of the NDC.
One of the eight senior NDC members, Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi, who spoke to Citi News feared Dr. Asamoah’s return to the NDC could backfire with his latest pronouncement.
“The issue of a founder of any organisation is not a legal issue, it is a historical issue and historically Jerry Rawlings is the founder of the NDC,” he said. “First it was his vision and his actions that gave birth to the NDC, and that is why for example the June 4 tenets of probity and accountability are very much a part of the NDC tenets. ”
“That is why in our constitution, June 4 and 31st December which are days on which Jerry Rawlings acted are part of the party anniversary days,” he said.
Prof. Ahwoi added: “That is why the NDC flag is made up of the June 4 colours of red, black and white and we added the green to indicate a new beginning.
“We have also made the point that if in 1992, Jerry Rawlings had said that he would not go with the formation of the NDC or he would not lead the NDC, the NDC would not have been born.
“So for all these reasons he is the founder of the party. ”
“As for putting it in the constitution, it was only in 1998, long after the NDC had been born that we decided to accord constitutional recognition to the historical fact.
“He, Dr. Asamoah was referred to regularly as the Life Patron of the DFP when he left the NDC to form that party.
“I have checked the DFP constitution, there is no position of Life Patron, I have checked with the Electoral Commission, he was not one of the founding members who signed the registration from for the DFP to come into existence.
“So if he accepted that title in the DFP, why does he want to deny Jerry Rawlings the right to the title of founder in the NDC? ”
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