An Accra based political commentator, Alhaji Iddrissu Bature, has asked the former President, Mr. Jerry John Rawlings, to avoid controversies that have become the hallmark of his speeches since he left office to protect the security of the NDC and that of the country as a whole.

He said the former president would do the party a world of good if he could stay out of the perennial "boom" outbursts and other speeches such as the one on the murder of 34 women that have generated a great uproar in the country in recent times.

Making the call in an interview with The Weekend Heritage in Accra, Alhaji Bature said 2004 is a crucial year for the NDC to either "make" or "break" and anything that has the potential of wrecking the party's position on the ground should be avoided.

He maintained that the ex-President had done a lot to bring about the peace and stability the country is enjoying presently and he should be the last person to rock the boat.

He argued that some of the statements the former president has been making in recent times are a potential threat to the country's security, pointing out that but for the maturity of the security agents he (Rawlings) would have long been apprehended.

Alhaji Bature re-echoed some of the statements by the former president while he was in power, particularly, the one on equality of all Ghanaians before the law and urged him to live by that.

He said, the former president has a lot of followers so he should not do anything that would force the security agents into action. Such a situation, the commentator said, would not be healthy for the nation.

He prayed that Mr. Rawlings would heed to his advice and allow the party to go on with its programmes.

Alhaji Bature urged the former president to assume a back seat in the activities of the party so that the party's flagbearer Prof. Evans Atta-Mills, would have full control of the party. He made reference to the recent statement made by Mr. Rawlings in Techiman describing it as unhealthy for the NDC.

The political commentator expressed concern about the recent statement by Mr. Rawlings which did nothing but defeat the purpose of Prof. Mills' press conference which catalogued a lot about the weaknesses of the NPP government.

"This took the shine off the NDC flagbearer," Alhaji Batutre deplored, adding that whatever the former president has to say should be in tandem with that of the flagbearer.