It is uncertain the relevance of former President Jerry John Rawlings currently in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as since 2016, he has been visibly absent at major events of the party including the NDC's recent 28th anniversary.

But this notwithstanding, a leading member of the opposition party insists the “founder” has a place of pride in the party.

Without giving a reason why former President Rawlings did not join the NDC in the celebration of its 28th anniversary, lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe said it is yet to be confirmed to him the reason for the party’s founder to be absent in the anniversary even though a lot of protocol arrangements were made due to the COVID-19.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the private legal practitioner indicated every speaker billed to speak on the 28th anniversary celebration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) eulogized former President Rawlings as the architect of every achievement of the party.

“Due to the COVID-19, a lot of protocol arrangement was made. I don’t have a firm confirmation as to why former President Rawlings could not attend the 28th anniversary of the NDC but every speaker at the anniversary provided the historical basis of the political party that everything we have achieved as a party, he is the architect,” he mentioned.

He hinted that the NDC’s first constitution did not have former President Jerry John Rawlings as the founder of the party until the party leadership in 2001 decided upon the significant role of Rawlings in the forward match of the country amended their constitution to make Rawlings the founder of the party.

“Let me make it clear that our first NDC constitution did not have anything like founder of the party. It was 2001 that the party decided that the role of Jerry John Rawlings in the forward match of this country is strikingly unique and so we amended our constitution and stated that he is the founder of the party and that stands. That tells you the pride of place where we have placed him in our politics,” he narrated.

As part of former President Rawlings’ contributions to the success of the party, lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe praised the party’s founder to have made former President John Mahama a deputy minister and later a substantive minister as well as picking the late President Atta Mills as his Vice President and declaring him the Presidential Candidate for the party in Swedru.

“Whether we like it or not, H.E John Dramani Mahama, it was Jerry John Rawlings that picked him and made him a deputy minister and later he made him a substantive minister. He also picked the late Professor Mills from IRS and him his Vice President and even made a declaration in Swedru to make Atta Mills the Presidential Candidate of the NDC”, he recalled.

“He has taken decisions which whether we like it or not, we can live it best to posterity but the umbilical cord of our party you cannot detach it from him. So, speaker upon speaker in the anniversary celebration played glorying tribute to him for his effort in moving our party this far”, he eulogized.

He professed that even though the relationship the party has with him may not be the best, acknowledging the existing ups and downs in their relationship with Mr. Rawlings, he admitted that former President Rawlings is still the father of the party.

“The relationship may not have been the best, but like father and son relationship, there can be ups and downs and what we cannot take away is that he is still the father; you cannot make another man your father”, he professed.