It has come to light that former President Jerry John Rawlings was so much in support of late President John Evans Atta-Mills that anyone opposed to Mills incurred his anger.

According to Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, in his new book, working with Rawlings, Bede Ziedeng suffered for being a supporter of Obed Asamoah and being opposed to Atta Mills at the 2002 NDC Congress to elect National Executives of the party.

Bede Ziedeng, who was then a member of the Elections Committee nearly died from a vicious attack from Rawlings at the entrance of the Trade Fair Site in Accra.

According to the account, Bede Ziedeng and others had formed a human shield to protect dignitaries going into the Trade Fair Site. As Rawlings was going in, the crowd moved closer to see him and cheer him on. This made it nearly impossible to see whatever was going on. So Rawlings took advantage of the situation. He held Bede Ziedeng’s testicles, squeezed them hard and left them in record time.

This caused Bede Ziedeng to faint immediately. He was taken away and given attention until he recovered.

An unperturbed Rawlings accessed the hall and the proceedings went on. Mr Ziedeng later reported Rawlings to some leading members of the NDC, including Prof Ahwoi.

When Rawlings was confronted on the matter, he merely laughed it off. But the incident nearly led to Mr Ziedeng leaving the party for good.