Not being present one's self at any of the places that President Rawlings is reported making critical comments about President Mills' regime, and the president personally, one is hesitant to believe those alleged negative comments he is said to make, which one reads and hears about, in the Ghanaian media.
However, it needs to be said that it is important for President Rawlings, to remember that any Ghanaian president who is not personally corrupt and is selfless, ought to be shown respect by all Ghanaians - especially those who have occupied that privileged position before.
If it is true that he has called for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to reject President Mills as the party's candidate for the December 2012 presidential election, then he has gone too far - and it is time President Rawlings was told a few home truths:
(1) According to Ghana's constitution, his time is over. He had nearly twenty odd years to turn Ghana into paradise. It didn't happen. Neither did we experience a rule of saints, under him - and it is daft to pretend President Mills can do in two years (or four, for that matter!), what he couldn't do in all the years he had the privilege of ruling Nkrumah's Ghana.
What he is doing is beginning to look suspiciously like a clever coup-maker employing other means to achieve an end no longer feasible by a military coup. For that reason, those of us committed to a democratic Ghana, will not let him succeed in his aim. Period.
The highest position his wife is going to reach, as a compromise to bring peace to their party, is vice-president - on a take it or leave it basis. If she gets there, and they win in December 2012, her fate thereafter, will be in the hands of Providence, for the December 2016 presidential election - if her Maker grants her long enough years on this earth, for her to engage in such contemplation with those who will be advising her then.
(2) It will be fatal for the NDC for anyone to try to prevent President Mills from seeking a second term. Speaking personally, although I will happily vote for a Mills-Rawlings ticket, I will, however, never vote for Mrs. Rawlings if she stood for president. And there are millions just like me.
(3) They must both understand that Mrs. Rawlings must learn to crawl before she can walk. She must aim for the more realistic option of joining the NDC 2012 presidential ticket - and in the short-term getting Vice President John Mahama to step aside for Mrs. Rawlings to become vice-president, as a compromise gesture to unite the NDC: to enable their regime have the peace of mind to concentrate on the important task of nation-building.
President Rawlings and the former first lady, must not let it be said of them, that despite the compassion shown them by so many, including even the most implacable of their political opponents, when fire gutted their Ridge home, they themselves refuse to show others compassion - and that it appears that the tragic fire notwithstanding, they are completely lacking in humanity and humility, to even acknowledge the fragility of human existence: as they lay into President Mills in such relentless fashion.
It will be suicidal if they allowed that to gain currency, as a result of the ruthless manner they appear to be going about the job of destroying President Mills' presidency. What crime has President Mills committed, at all to warrant such hostility?
Yes, we all want the Kufuor-era crooks investigated, prosecuted and jailed - but, at the same time, being decent human beings and fair-minded individuals, we do not want to go about it by persecuting them. Rawlings must remember that he committed treason in December 1981 - but we have all decided to let him get away with it: for peace in our homeland Ghana, not because we are fools or are afraid of him.
Some of us did not fear him even at the height of his powers, when he headed an absolute and brutal dictatorship: which murdered and caused the disappearance of scores of full-blooded Ghanaians, whose only crime was that they wanted our country to be rid of his tyranny. At his time of life, he must be a reasonable man, to show his gratitude to Ghanaians for being so forgiving. Let them not give the impression that they think they are immortal and will therefore live till the very end of time - which therefore makes them indispensable. They are not. Period.
Surely, they are not so foolish and blinded by unbridled lust for power, as to believe so, are they? They must not let fair-minded Ghanaians begin to think that they are motivated solely by personal hatred for President Mills. It is time they showed some humility for a change - for their arrogance is offensive. Enough is enough - they are beginning to irritate some of us with their unreasonableness. They must be more realistic in their ambitions - lest they make complete fools of themselves. They must not tempt fate by crossing the Rubicon. A word to the wise...
Tel (powered by Tigo - the one mobile phone network in Ghana that actually works!): +233 (0) 27 745 3109.
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