Former President Jerry John Rawlings has once again descended heavily on the Vice Chairperson of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Anita Desooso, calling her a ‘crook.’

In a short video which went viral over the weekend, the former President was seen criticizing Anita Desooso, who was once NDC National Women’s Organizer, for her antics during the June 4th Anniversary celebration held at the Madina Social Welfare in Accra.

At the said ceremony, Anita knelt before the former President, who was sitting on the dais and asked him to forgive her and the NDC because he (Mr. Rawlings) was the father who brought her to political limelight.

She begged the NDC founder to forgive the current crop of NDC leaders and past government appointees, who have alienated him from the party.

Mr. Rawlings hilariously advised Anita to stop bleaching after her declaration.

Speaking Twi interspersed with English in the new video, which appears to have been recorded recently at a social gathering at an unidentified location, the former President said, “Anita is a crook! She was lucky I didn’t speak about her that day during the June 4th celebration.”

Amid spontaneous laughter from the gathering, he said, “What she did was pre-planned. How can a woman go on her knees pleading for forgiveness for herself and her party?”

“You know instead of accepting me graciously and then letting it go, you are so mean that you even go and talk about…what do we call it…her bleaching, bleached face. No…no…no, maybe, sometimes I say the inappropriate things. I should have said it there and then,” Mr Rawalings, who was in the company of his wife, former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, fired.

Anita’s Schemes

He said, “A few years back, the NDC was going for election for its first executives at the party’s congress. In those days, 31st December Women’s Movement was really solid with Nana (Mrs. Rawlings) at the leadership. They were going to have elections for executives.”

He revealed, “Anita was the third in line way down. Besides, when you look at the political trigonometry, there were quite a number of Ewes so we thought we would sail well to use that popular Akan lady followed by the northerner as the women’s organizers. Out of nowhere, this number three position woman (Anita) way down the line just scooted out of the line and came to grab Nana’s (Mrs. Rawlings) legs, crying my mother! my mother! She just disarmed everybody and went up.”

Begging

During the June 4 celebration, Anita said, “Now to my father – founder, I know as your children, we have erred and I also know that you are a human being and you have also done something, maybe, it’s not right.

“And I was so happy when I heard you say that when you brought a statement out, rendering an apology. You are a hero. You are a hero. This shows that what you have taught me is still within me. If you are a leader, be prepared to say that I am sorry.

“If you are a child, be prepared to say that daddy I’m sorry. So, I will take this opportunity on behalf of the party to kneel before my dad – please forgive us. Let us come together to build this country,” Desooso pleaded with the former President.

This, however, did not move Rawlings who did not even look in her direction.

“Hmm! Hmm! But she is getting too fair. Let us stop this kind of things. The use of these kinds of soaps (bleaching soaps) is not good. She said she is my daughter so allow me to say it. Let it serve as a lesson. Tomorrow too come and stand here and say that I am your father. Anita! Anita!” Mr. Rawlings declared.

Mr. Rawlings demanded some answers from Ms. Desooso when she touched on the NDC’s treatment of Martin Amidu and his subsequent appointment as the Special Prosecutor by the NPP government.

“Anita what does that make of us? Anita, I am calling your name, won’t you mind me. Anita says I am her father,” the former President teased.

The former President urged party members to put aside their differences and work towards rebuilding the party.

“In spite of all these issues, as a party, let’s not overlook the challenges plaguing our party. Let’s work to improve conditions and go back to our values,” he said.