The Presidential candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Dr. Henry Herbert Lartey, has disagreed with persons who have asked former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to step down from contesting the presidential election.

Dr. Lartey believes it is the freedom of the former first lady to contest the elections adding that the passing of the late husband, should not be used against her.

Some individuals including, a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier-General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (Rtd), have advised Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to step from the presidential election as a sign of respect to late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

But, Dr. Lartey, in an interview with Rainbowradioonline.com, said he sees no reason why we should ask her to step down because the husband has passed.

"It is her freedom. Why should we force somebody against her wish? It is her political freedom. We are in a democracy. She should have the will to do what she wants. I don’t see the reason why we should do that. We should not make her feel that bad.”



To him, the president of the National Democratic Party has lost the love of her life, whom she knew for several years.

Dr. Lartey added that Mrs. Agyeman-Rawlings believes in the country and would want to contribute to its development.

"I don’t think we should do that to her, we should be patient with her, try and help her through this difficult moment and her children.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Lartey has asked Ghanaians to forgive the late Rawlings for any wrong he did them and rather recount his contribution to the development of Ghana.

Dr. Lartey said he has personally forgiven the late Rawlings for any wrongs he did him and his family.

He indicated that his brother Danny Lartey nearly died under the late Rawlings because his late father had written something about the Rawlings's chain in his newspaper.

He said the Cadres and Workers Defence Movement collapsed his father’s press and made an attempt on his life and his family, but from sobber reflections, it turned out it wasn’t Rawlings who sent them.