A National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwart in the Brong Ahafo Region, has mounted a spirited defense for former President Jerry John Rawlings insisting that his relevance in the party cannot be relegated to the background.

Lawyer John Owusu Agyeman who once served as Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the NDC in an audio in possession of MyNewsGh.com maintains that the former military leader and founder of the party is more popular and relevant compared to former President John Dramani Mahama.

He argues that those downplaying the contributions of Mr. Rawlings are doing so at the peril of their political careers indicating that the generality of the party will choose the chairman of the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) over Mahama.

In response to claims made by Spokesperson of the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Retired Major Kwadwo Boakye Gyan that Rawlings has lost his value in the party, the former NDC Regional Chairman said Rawlings is still the man to watch in the party and its growth depends on him

“Rawlings is still relevant in the NDC. It’s his principle and ideals that the party was formed. Boakye Gyan should be ashamed of himself…where was he when the party was formed in 1992? What fortunes has he brought to the party in Jaman South constituency? Boakye Gyan should shut up.NDC will vote for Rawlings than Mahama.

Major Boakye Gyan on Monday, advised former President Jerry John Rawlings to stop talking what he described as rubbish.

On Kumasi-based Abusua Fm hosted by Kwame Adinkra, Boakye Gyan said the former President never shed any blood as he wants many to believe and dared him to prove that.

“I released him from prison only for him to be talking rubbish. He has no moral right to be talking of shedding blood. There are people who have sacrificed so much for the party that he claims to have done”

He accused Mr Rawlings of causing the defeat of the NDC in the 2016 polls saying he was in bed with the then opposition NPP.

“He was in bed with NPP to defeat the NDC. He is now rich and out of poverty. If he has graduated from social democratic values and now hanging out with his new friends he should go. Why will Nana Addo thank him……He should either be with us or without us now he has new friends defending them. I and Osahene brought him…l’m the father of the NDC because it came under the barrel of a gun and l fired the gun”. He stressed.