The Ahwois Vrs Rawlings

News Desk Report

The name Ahwoi has in the last three decades become a powerful political force to contend with in the country and the three gentlemen in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who carry the name Ahwoi have myths around them. Ato Ahwoi, Kwamena Ahwoi and Kwesi Ahwoi, are no mean politicians.

In spite of this, the powerful Ahwoi’s stand accused as being the brains behind the anti-Rawlings commentary by Mr. Kwesi Pratt Junior, the popular journalist and social commentator.

Reports monitored by The Informer indicate that the NDC foot-soldiers are accusing Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the eldest of the Ahwoi brothers, as the one who masterminded the ad-hoc and selfish commentary of Mr. Kwesi Pratt, who in the course of last week went to town attacking the persona and integrity of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, who had questioned some of the appointments and decisions of his friend, the sitting President, Professor John Evans Attah Mills. According these grass-root members some of whom are serial callers, they suspect the Ahwoi brothers because they are about the biggest beneficiary so far in the sharing of government portfolios and as a result have every reason to protect their interest by attacking party folks who will raise questions over such appointments.

“Almost every friend of the Ahwoi’s has been appointed to head an institution, Chair or sit on a board. Why? This is why they are panicking,” one of such party supporters told The Informer in a telephone conversation.

He further alleged that some of his colleagues had been approached to desist from attacking Mr. Kwesi Pratt Junior over his recent criticisms of the NDC Founder.

This assertion by the serial caller was confirmed by the office of ex-President Rawlings, when contacted. The Spokesperson of the Ex-President, Mr. Kofi Adams who spoke to The Informer confirmed that his office had received such reports from some foot-soldiers.

He however failed to mention the names of the so-called party gurus who called such grass-root members to allow Kwesi Pratt run-down Mr. Rawlings.

“But when you do an intelligent assessment, you cannot rule out the involvement of the names that Mr. Kwesi Pratt has been putting out there as people who don’t talk to the ex-President. They are the people who are creating the smoke screens for him to do what he is doing,” Mr. Adams said.

Mr. Kwesi Pratt had dropped the name of Mr Ato Awoi as his confidant in the NDC who is also not on talking terms with Mr. Rawlings. On Hot Fm, last Wednesday, Mr. Pratt announced that he had received ten text messages out of which he has shown three to Mr. Ato Ahwoi.

When The Informer suggested the name of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as one name that Mr Pratt had repeatedly mentioned in the exchanges on radio, Kofi Adams exclaimed: “That is my worry” explaining that it is the basis for his suspicion that has also been corroborated by party foot-soldiers. Mr. Adams said “if they had not told Mr. Pratt who else would have informed him. He does not live with them to know who they talk to and who they don’t talk to.”

He called on the Ahwoi brothers to come out and explain themselves, stressing that it will be important for them to come clean on the matter. In his assessment of last week’s fracas, the Spokesperson said: “Mr. Pratt is not helping them by mentioning their names. So it is up to them to speak-up now.”

He went further to accused those anti-Rawlings elements within the party of repeating the mistakes that led to the party’s exit from power, some nine years ago. He cautioned: “They are becoming increasingly intolerant. But they must not forget what we went through when we lost power by not listening to the grassroots.”

“You see you cannot shoot the pillar upon which the building stands,” he said literally, describing the pivotal role that ex-President Rawlings plays in the NDC party, as something that cannot be left in the hands of ideological bed-mates to play with, because of selfish reasons.

When The Informer brought the development to the notice of another NDC cadre, who had initially leaked the development to the paper, he said: “I told you. It’s a pity. We know they are preparing the grounds to make their brother go to the Presidency. We will see. They have an opportunity now. If they are not behind Kwesi Pratt’s tantrums then they should come out and explain how come their names are all over.”