<<Print>>

The office of Former President Jerry John Rawlings has launched a scathing attack on Victor Smith, Ghana�s Ambassador to the Czech Republic, describing him as a �liar� who is only interested in �pleasing his new masters�. Mr. Smith is said to be peddling falsehood about the former First Family to the effect that Mr Rawlings is not in agreement with his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings over the latter�s decision to lead the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 general elections. Victor Smith, a former aide to Mr. Rawlings, who was sacked by his former boss via an sms text message, also claimed that the former President was compelled to accept the candidature of Mrs. Rawlings to preserve the couple�s marriage. However, reacting to what he called �lies� from the Ambassador on Wednesday on Citi FM, Kobina Andoh of the Office of the Ex-President said, �These are false allegations. I do not know where he (Victor Smith) picked up such lies from.� He said: �It is absurd and malicious. It cannot be true that the former President will have to accept this because he wants to preserve his marriage.� Mr. Andoh described Victor Smith as �a disgruntled former employee who is working for another master and essentially wants to protect his job�. As a result, Mr. Andoh indicated that Victor Smith thinks it is appropriate to lie about the former first family, adding that some time ago, Mr. Smith made another allegation about some Las Vegas connection involving the former President without substantiating it. �You cannot come on air and make such arsenal accusation with respect to somebody�s personal issue, especially when you know very well it is so untrue�especially coming from somebody who is supposed to be a diplomat. �So when people with dubious agenda go about saying that they have sources within because of their previous association with the former President it is ridiculous, unprofessional and should not be coming from people who should know better. �The truth is that the Ex-President and his wife are very happy with the way things are going and they understand each other so well. They have never had any argument whatsoever about this issue of her candidature. Do not forget that the whole issue of her candidature is a call from the roots of the party,� he stated. He said, �I work with the former President and I can assure you that this is untrue and I am speaking directly on his behalf.� The NDC is billed to hold its delegates� congress from July 8 to July 10, 2011 in Sunyani to elect a flagbearer; but President John Evans Atta Mills, in an attempt to seek re-election, is facing stiff opposition from the former First Lady. Mr. Smith�s claim that the Ex-President is not seeing eye-to-eye with his wife over her Presidential ambitions, is in sharp contrast to the unflinching support given publicly by Mr. Rawlings to Nana Konadu so far. Contrary to Victor Smith�s claim, the former President, who is also the founder of the NDC, is vigorously campaigning for Nana Konadu and has time and again appealed to NDC delegates to change President Mills or risk losing the 2012 general elections. He has on several occasions described President Mills as a failure who does not deserve a second term in office and added that President Mills and his government have lost touch with the people due to incompetence and corruption, insisting the destiny and future of the country and the NDC as a party cannot be entrusted to the President anymore because he is a bad driver. Mr Rawlings believed the NDC lost the 2012 general elections and power within the very first week the party returned to power because of the actions and inactions of President Mills and members of his administration since surveys have indicated that the government is unpopular. �We finally lost 2012 eight months back. So until we change the gear and the driver, and I say this without malice and any disrespect to the Prof., but I guess we all have our limitations� The time has come when the change must take place to enable us rescue this country,� Rawlings said. He said Mills might win in Sunyani but cannot retain power in 2012. �You may win (in Sunyani Congress) but you will go and lose the national election. Let us wake up to the reality on the ground. This reality is on the ground and everybody knows it. If any elections were conducted today, we all know our fate. Let�s stop being selfish and do what we must do. I am not saying it out of spite because I had supported my friend when all the people around him deserted him,� Rawlings told NDC supporters at the launch of Nana Konadu�s campaign at the Accra International Conference Centre.