The Nana Konadu For President 2012 Campaign Team somewhat disappointed members of the inky fraternity on Wednesday, July 13th, when at the much talked-about press conference to outline what they describe as anomalies in the just ended delegates� congress of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), refused to answer questions from the media.
The former first lady, who was present at the Press Conference, failed to address the press as expected.
Having cited several cases of intimidation against the delegates, it was indeed the expectation of most Ghanaians, especially the media that the former First Lady might give indications as to her next line of action, considering the embarrassing defeat she suffered at the hands of President Mills at the Sunyani congress.
Nana Konadu was soundly trounced by President Mills over the weekend at Sunyani where she polled 90 votes representing 3.1% with the president receiving an overwhelming 2,771 votes representing 96.9%.
But not only did Mrs Rawlings� campaign team failed to outline or give detailed instances of abuse of incumbency or communist inferior tactics employed against delegates, they were also evasive regarding the issue of whether she will join hands with President Mills in the 2012 electioneering campaign.
At a press Conference held at the headquarters of the 31st December Women�s Movement, Numburr Berrick, a coordinator of the campaign team, alleged that the composition of NDCs Electoral Committee was done to achieve a lopsided view point.
�The whole process was orchestrated and skewed in a way that prevented the contest from being free and fair�I just cannot comprehend�In the last two days, we�ve received direct reports from well over 200 delegates who were not granted accreditation to enter the Congress grounds and thus not allowed to exercise their franchise to vote�The adoption of tactics alien to the NDC, which includes the deliberate impoverishment of the people, was calculated to make them vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation�
He accused government and the security agencies of not employing intimidating tactics and instilling fear in the delegates,
�There was a calculated plan of intimidation, not only from government officials, but by an unnecessarily high presence of heavily armed security personnel all over the inner and outer perimeter of the Congress grounds�Since the inception of the NDC, our party has recognised that our strength is our people�Yet during this Congress, we denied entry to our party faithful into the Congress grounds. What image do we project to the nation and to the world when we lock the strength of our party outside?� Numburr Berrick sought to find out.
Below Is The Full Post Congress Press Statement by Nana Konadu 2012 Campaign Team
Ladies and gentlemen of the press:
We have invited you here this morning because there are critical issues that occurred during the flag-bearership contest which, in our opinion, needs correcting, not only for the NDC Party, but for the integrity and credibility of Ghana�s democratic process.
You will recall that, among other things, we embarked on this journey months ago to:
�protest the denigration of the core principles of our party,
�to restore power to the marginalised grassroots of our party and
�to bring inspirational leadership to the country at large.
The marginalised, but deserving, grassroots of the party needed a courageous and able voice to speak for them. Nana Konadu stepped up to the challenge when no one within the leadership of the party was willing and bold enough to do so. Their excuses were �it is against the status quo, don�t rock the boat, it is unconventional.�
Like truth standing all by herself, she stepped out in courage. She challenged the leadership of the party and spoke out for the voiceless within our party. She spoke out against disunity. She agitated for the inclusion and restoration of the party�s principles, seeking to restore strong and decisive leadership to the centre of NDC governance and to the country at large.
She knew the journey was not going to be easy. First came the slanderous statements, the impugning of her motives and integrity, the disrespect and sometimes outright contempt for her person and family, but like a true patriot and person of conviction, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings stood on principle and spoke her mind with boldness, damning the threatened consequences of ostracism and victimisation.
These threats of victimisation and ostracism were real and present and were strongly reflected and culminated during the electoral process. The NDC Electoral Committee was composed to achieve a lopsided view point. The whole process was orchestrated and skewed in a way that prevented the contest from being free and fair.
�For one, the attempted introduction of regional voting was intended to identify the voting pattern of the delegates. Obviously, this was designed to victimise non-conformers.
�Secondly, there was the deliberate attempt by the NDC Electoral Committee to exclude the National Electoral Commission from conducting the elections. It was only after the threat of legal action from our legal team that the party brought them on board. By which time the integrity of the process leading to Congress had long been compromised, at least psychologically. The input and process having been tainted, the outcome is logically bound to be tainted.
Ladies and gentlemen, throughout the process it was clear that delegates were being coerced by inducements, the misuse of the fear factor and threats to vote in a particular direction.
It is hard to comprehend.
Our opponents have already begun to dismiss the charge of the fear factor. For those who sat in the stands and participated in the process (delegates and agents), it was actual and real. In the last two days, we�ve received direct reports from well over 200 delegates who were not granted accreditation to enter the Congress grounds and thus not allowed to exercise their franchise to vote.
The adoption of tactics alien to the NDC, which includes the deliberate impoverishment of the people, was calculated to make them vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation. Despite this clear campaign of fear, we persevered, believing that, notwithstanding the negative tactics, the delegates would demonstrate a high level of courage and honour by making a choice based on the facts and principles that are clear for all to see. Unfortunately, they had already been cowered into submission.
There was a calculated plan of intimidation, not only from government officials, but by an unnecessarily high presence of heavily armed security personnel all over the inner and outer perimeter of the Congress grounds and indeed throughout the Sunyani metropolis. Since the inception of the NDC, our party has recognised that our strength is our people.
Yet during this Congress, we denied entry to our party faithful into the Congress grounds. What image do we project to the nation and to the world when we lock the strength of our party outside? Why should we do this? It was unfortunate that our party faithful, who are the backbone of the NDC, were denied the opportunity to participate in this historic occasion.
Nonetheless, the delegates appear to have made a decision: a presidential candidate has been elected. One thing still remains unchanged: With the support of the Founder and the grassroots, Nana Konadu, boldly and fearlessly stood up and challenged the denigration of party principles, the weakening of party structures and the dampening of the party�s revolutionary spirit. She boldly and fearlessly stood up and challenged the growing disunity, apathy and despondency resulting in the disintegration of our party.
The president has now openly and publicly conceded that these problems in fact exist.
It took courage and a willingness to speak the truth in the face of ostracism and victimisation to exact that admission. This is the victory of her stance of courage. Let all who have our party�s interest at heart take note. To those who believed in the cause, we salute your boldness. To the grassroots supporters, we thank you, we urge you to keep faith as we will continue to champion your cause in whatever shape or form.
Thank you.
God bless you and Be Bold.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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