Former president Jerry John Rawlings, the FOUNDER of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been analysing the causes of the humiliating defeat that the NDC party suffered in the hands of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on December 7th 2016 general elections which was a one touch victory for the NPP and the NDC lost both the presidential and parliamentary elections to the NPP, the main opposition candidate Nana Akuffo Addo elected president with 5,716,026 votes representing 53.85% to beat the incumbent John Dramani Mahama who got 4,713, 277 votes which is 44.40% with a wide margin – a difference of over 1.2 million votes. Yes, people really voted for change in Ghana and this wind of change swept through parliament with the NPP taking control of the legislature by winning 171 out of 275 seats, while the governing NDC managed to get only 104 seats leaving the NDC with SHOCK as accusation and finger pointings are being traded left, right and centre over the humiliating defeat throughout the Regions and constituencies nation wide.

INCITING PARTY MEMBERS AGAINST RAWLINGS However on the 35th anniversary of the 31st December revolution celebration, Jerry Rawlings did not mince words but HIT the nail on the head when he claimed that impunity, arrogance, disrespect, corruption and opulent display of ill acquired wealth could not be over looked as some of the causes for the NDC governments downfall – Jerry is 100% correct and I suggest that the yard stick of June 4 must be used to measure the life styles of some of these corrupt appointees and we see who will pass the TEST – because some NDC members including Regional and constituency members falsely believe that the NDC was cut out from a tree in 1992. This is false because hundreds of cadres died and their families were never compensated up to date 2017 while most party members were actually living in extreme poverty, stress and anger at the grass root. Do you know what? The NPP was openly divided at the Top in Accra and the NDC falsely believed that it has affected the whole party at the grass root. On the other hand, the NDC was heavily divided at the grass root nation wide while the NDC at the top was united in Accra. In anger, most NDC members simply DID NOT VOTE because the party represented by the constituency executives, were most of them were chasing money without taken care of the party’s branches (polling stations) where the votes come from, so most branch executives were apathetic and never even called people to go out and vote, hence the humiliating defeat. It is true that Rawlings provided warnings and promptings to the party leaders in private and in public but he was ignored with the contempt it deserved.

THE CADRES The remaining surviving members of the United Cadres Front who are the true and genuine founding members and elders (warriors and youthful fighters) who sacrificed extremely to form the NDC in 1992 were completely disregarded and even disrespected first like Rawlings immediately the NDC won the elections in 2008 through the 2012 elections up to date 2017 why should Rawlings be made the scape goat to day 2017.

ENDANGERED SPECIES Cadres became endangered species throughout the country when Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings contested the then sitting president of Ghana, Prof, John Atta Mills in 2011 and that perception is still present in the NDC from 2008 up to date 2017. Rawlings again scored another 100% here too. “A few selfish and greedy characters soon began to jump on board and there were some good people, very good people, BUT the leadership and command structure did not empower them to over ride those who were destroying the party and the government” – said Rawlings and that is also 100% true, because he spoke frankly for the voiceless in the NDC. It was an empty pride on the part of most of our leaders. Probity and accountability must fully work within the NDC as enshrined in the party’s constitution. The oppressive machinery in the NDC will NOT desert us voluntary – Rawlings added, and this is very true. After our un-expected humiliating defeat on 7th December 2016, this is the time to speak the bitter truth frankly and courageously as most party leaders were chasing money and many saw the NDC party as their private company and such people have succeeded in amassing too much wealth and attempted to kill the party. In order to stop that day light robbery, most NDC supporters refused to go out and vote out of hunger and anger.

DISMISSAL OF MMDCES Some MMDCES were dismissed in the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions and wherever these MMDCES were sacked by the government, the NDC lost all the parliamentary seats there. A clear example is the popular DCE of Atebubu Amanten who was strangely NOT SACKED by president Mahama but a top national executive of the NDC and the local government minister without the knowledge of the president and when a prominent chief went to plead for the DCE at NDC headquarters, he was told by another leader of the party that this is not a chieftaincy affair – what a cheek and gross disrespect for an important paramount chief – The NDC lost that seat to the NPP in the 2016 elections – You should have gone to that constituency with a gun to force the people to vote for the NDC parliamentary candidates and we see, so the defeat of the NDC is self inflicted from our own leaders who did not look before they leap.

Again, several unpopular parliamentary candidates were imposed in some constituencies as some people were vetted and appointed as MMDCES but were NOT qualified to become parliamentary candidates according to the guidelines of their “New NDC” where cadres have become endangered species and are not welcome since 2008 to date 2017. Most of these characters are fabulously rich now and they have nothing to lose.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS PARTY I totally disagree with all those who accuse former Prez. Mahama of running a family and friends government from 2012-2016 because most of our MMDCES, and ministers of state practice this family and friends policy in the party and in government. So what are these people really talking about? They must give us a break. There are several members of parliament apart from Hon. Alban Bagbin, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Hon. Joseph Yiele Chiele, Hon. Rashid Pelpuo, Hon. Richard Quarshigah and a few other MP’s who will quickly assist you financially when you approach them – regardless of whether you come from their constituencies or not, the rest will snub you and this explain why they have all RETAINED their seats in parliament and will continue to retain them as long as they wish. While so many MP’s were booted out of parliament with the contempt they deserved. Last but not the least, one has to mention Hon. Mubarak Muntaka of Asawasi, Collins Dauda, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and my senior comrade Samuel Sarpong, the former dynamic Ashanti Regional Minister for their immense assistance to several foot soldiers and Cadres including this writer, so, may God richly bless them. If people could sack MMDCEs without the knowledge of Prez. Mahama, why would the NDC lose the election in 2016? If most appointers and ministers assisted their families and friends only, why won’t the NDC lost the election in 2016? If some advisers of the president deceived him to cancel nursing trainees and teacher trainees allowance in his first term of office and later attempted to restore them in October 2016 after the opposition NPP promised to restore same, why won’t the NDC lost the elections in 2016? You see, thousands of cadres and party supporters worked around the clock to always bring the NDC to power only to be NEGLECTED AND replaced with family and friends of MMDCE’S, Members of Parliament, Government Appointees and what have you – THIS HUMILIATING DEFEAT IS A WARNING SHOT BY NDC MEMBERS AND IT IS A TIP OF THE ICEBERG. A WORD TO THE WISE IS ENOUGH. In conclusion, I say, Fit-Lt. J.J. Rawlings and ex-Prez. John Dramani Mahama are not important, but our country, Ghana. We are ready to push prez, Mahama up again if only he will run for president in 2020, because he has now learnt a big and bitter lesson but it is too late – you keep your fingers crossed, I Shall Return.

Aluta Continna

……………………… Clement Sargaparee United Cadres Front Obuasi

Cc: All Media Houses Accra – Ghana

E-mailclementsang@yahoo.com