The former President Jerry John Rawlings has entreated the leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to clear the bad nuts like Nii Lante Vanderpuye and retain the good ones.

He said a handful of people in the NDC leadership who talk loosely because of the power and influence they possess need to be packed off.

The former military leader said stealing and corruption put no one above the law saying people who have committed crimes deserve to be punished.

In a statement, the founder of NDC stated, ‘While the current circumstances favour patriotic forces the most, the unpatriotic elements are more bent on collaborating and exploiting the constitutional climate. Let’s make changes for the better. Clear the bad and retain the good. Bring on board other patriots’.

Mr Rawlings’ comments come on the back of a statement by Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo constituency Nii Lante Vanderpuye who said the convicted former National Coordinator of GYEEDA Abuga Pele would be freed if the NDC wins power in 2020 elections.

Abuga Pele and Philip Assibit have slapped 6 and 12 years jail terms respectively for causing financial loss to the state.

Read details of Mr Rawlings’ full statement:

POLITICAL POWER NOT FOR FREEING THE GUILTY

Stealing and corruption puts no one above the law. Those who have committed crimes deserve to be punished. If the quest for political power is to release wrongdoers from prison, then the NDC is laying its own foundation to remain in opposition for a long long time.

Fortunately, this kind of talk belongs to a handful of people in the NDC leadership who have gained power and influence they do not deserve and the sooner they are packed off, the better for the NDC and this country.

Obviously, the corruption by some of those who were in office, resulting in a humiliating defeat in the last election does not appear to have affected their conscience and reasoning in any way.

The NDC needs to regain its moral compass. A party born out of the explosive circumstances of our past should not find herself so HIGH on the scale of corruption. Just as the negative elements in various parties are networking to protect their misdeeds, so also must the positive minded personalities and supporters in the various parties also network to contain and keep such elements from political power.

While the current circumstances favour patriotic forces the most, the unpatriotic elements are more bent on collaborating and exploiting the constitutional climate. Let’s make changes for the better. Clear the bad and retain the good. Bring on board other patriots.