A source familiar with the mission described it as “a total failure.”
Citi News sources in Parliament say the leaders paid a courtesy call on Mr. Rawlings on Wednesday June 1, a day after his wife, former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings had submitted her forms to contest in the NDC presidential primaries slated for July 8-10 in Sunyani.
It is not clear what prompted the move by the parliamentary leadership but it appears they were hit by Mrs. Rawlings’ submission of nomination forms which reinforced her determination to go through with her stated aim of contesting.
A member of the delegation, who hinted Citi FM’s Parliamentary Correspondent Richard Sky of the visit, said they were there to push for Nana Konadu’s withdrawal from the race in the larger interest of the party.
According to him, Mr. Rawlings told them that his wife’s decision was based on principles and that she could not give it up for anything.
He is said to have spoken zealously about his commitment to support his wife, insisting that Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was poised to win the contest and lead the NDC to victory in the 2012 general elections.
Some members of the delegation who have pleaded anonymity told Citi News the Former President burst into anger when he learned the reason for their visit, hurled a few unprintable insults at them and ended the meeting abruptly.
According to them, they ended up appealing to Mr. Rawlings to ensure that his wife’s campaign was devoid of acrimony and insults, after the real mission had hit the rocks.
Although there have been numerous calls from leading NDC members for her to back down, Mrs. Rawlings has repeatedly insisted she is ready, willing and able to lead the NDC.
Mr. Rawlings has on several occasions described President Mills as a failure who cannot meet the aspirations of the masses hence the need to replace him to put Ghana and the NDC back on track since he has abandoned the principles that underlay the formation of the NDC.
The contest is now set between President Mills and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings following the inability of Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah to meet the deadline for the submission of nomination forms.
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