The Mills administration appears to have declared former President Jerry John Rawlings and his family a security threat, as it mounts 24-hour watch in order to avoid springing surprises on the sitting President whom he cared for from political dimness to political limelight in the face of stiff opposition from party gurus at the time.
According to Sidii Abubakar, a loyalist of the former first couple, the movements of Her Excellency, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings are constantly being monitored by personnel of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
Sidii, who contested the position of National Youth Organizer and lost to an aide of the President, Mr. Ludwig Hlodze, was answering questions from the Patriot on whether some women who stood on the same platform with the former 1st lady during this year’s June 4 celebrations have been arrested by the BNI when he dropped the bomb-shell.
“I cannot tell whether some women have been arrested or not,” he said in connection with the arrest adding that “her (Nana Konadu) movement is being monitored.”
Sidii hinted that the intention of the government to trail the former 1st Lady could be borne out of the supposed intentions of Mrs. Rawlings to contest President Mills for the NDC’s flag-bearer slot in 2011.
“Some of the supporters have also been calling on the woman at the 31st headquarters to publicly declare her intention since they are ready to support her.”
He disclosed that supporters of the NDC are prevailing on him to convince Mrs. Rawlings to contest the NDC slot when nominations are opened.
He went on to state that because of the security consciousness of the former President, Nana Konadu is aware of what is going on.
When asked whether they were following her for protection, he said “if it has to do with protection, they would have approached her and sought her consent” stressing that they are trailing her.
It would be re-called that deputy editor of pro-NDC tabloid, Daily Post, Livingston Pay Charlie, gave an indication when he spoke on Hot FM, an Accra based radio station that President Mills was rewarding Mr. Rawlings for helping to bring back the NDC administration with the throwing of a security cordon around the ex-President.
He said the surveillance mounted on Rawlings was not restricted to Ghana but even when he traveled outside the country, a situation Livingston described as a mark of ingratitude.
Livingston, a former Editor of Kwesi Pratt’s Insight newspaper, accused Ato Ahwoi, a close confidante of President Mills of being behind the woes of Rawlings.