The founder of the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Flt. Lt. J. J. Rawlings has assured Ghanaians that he would remain faithful to the tenets of the present democratic dispensation in the name of national unity and cohesion.

“I will continue to remain faithful to the democratic dispensation because I believe in national unity and cohesion”, he told an enthusiastic crowd at a rally at Asokore, last Wednesday.

He also emphasized that the upcoming elections is not about whether one is an Ashanti, Akyem, Ewe, Fante or a Dagomba, but an opportunity for the electorate to show the NPP the exit into opposition, after mismanaging the affairs of the country in their almost eight years of governance.

The former President indicated that he never stole from the national coffers for all the 19 years that he was at the helm of affairs of the country, because of his respect and love for justice and truth. He said these same qualities cannot be attributed to the NPP government which he accused of amassing wealth at the expense of the ordinary Ghanaian.

The former President, who has joined the campaign trail of the flag bearer of his party, Prof. Attah Mills in the Ashanti region, accused the ruling government of destroying all the good things that the NDC administration bequeathed the country through lies and corrupt practices. He warned Ghanaians not to make the mistake of voting for the NPP, otherwise “you will become slaves in your own country.” To him, the NPP is bent on clinging to power at all cost. Mr. Rawlings also revisited the issue of the murder of the Ya-Na and 40 of his followers, as well as the brutalisation of Issa Mobilla to death, which sad events were attributed to the NPP government.

He told the rally that the NDC administration created an enabling environment for all Ghanaians to develop their God given talents by providing electricity, good drinking water, roads and hospitals across the length and breadth of the country. He described Prof. Atta Mills as a man of peace and “a very humble and knowledgeable person who respects the views of every individual”, and urged all NDC sympathizers to vote massively for the NDC on December 7, 2008. Mr. Rawlings pointed out that President Kufuor and his Ministers do not deserve the mandate of Ghanaians anymore.

According to former President Rawlings, none of the NPP men could match the qualities of Prof Atta Mills and stressed the need for the Ghanaian electorate to reject the NPP by voting massively for the NDC at the polls. “You need to vote massively for the NDC at both the presidential and parliamentary levels to enable the party restore hope to you (Ghanaians), something which has eluded you in the past seven years,” he said.

Earlier, the NDC founder had called on the chiefs and elders of Effiduase and Asokore Traditional Councils after he had also visited Drobonso and Kumawu to address similar rallies. Among the former President’s entourage were Mr. Daniel Ohene-Agyekum, Ashanti regional chairman of the NDC, Mr. Kofi Adams, Deputy National Youth Organizer, Nana Kwadwo Adae, Effiduase-Asokore NDC candidate and Alhaji Adamu Issah, alias Malalas, the NDC constituency chairman.