A MEMBER of the Ashanti regional executive of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that the ruling party is gripped with fear over former President J.J. Rawlings? involvement in the coming election. According to Alhaji Mohammed Sanni , the former President, being a living legend, was so popular that, there was the possibility of him eclipsing President Kufuor and his NPP during the electioneering campaign, hence, all means were being employed to discredit him.

In an interview with The Chronicle in Kumasi, Alhaji Sanni wondered why most of the NPP members would want the former President out of Ghana?s contemporary politics.

?How can Hearts of Oak ask Kotoko to get Charles Taylor out of a competitive match between the two,? the NDC activist questioned and described this attitude as ridiculous on the part of the NPP.

?The former President is a valuable asset to the NDC and the nation as a whole, and this manifested at the Adae Kese grounds where he received loud cheers from the people, indicating his popularity and how Ghanaians still admire him. All that the NPP members say about the man, shows that they fear him to the core,? he affirmed.

He predicted resounding victory for the NDC, come the December polls, basing his claim on his presumption that Ghanaians had recognized the incapability of the NPP to rule the country.

Commenting on Alhaji Sanni?s claim, an NPP activist, Mr. Kwasi Kyei indicated that there was no way Mr. Rawlings could pose a threat to the party during the 2004 general election.

?We know that the former President is a factor in the NDC but he is not a threat at all to the NPP, since the good people of Ghana have seen the difference between good governance and a bad one,? he said.

Kyei, acknowledged the charisma of the NDC founder and said he was the pivot around which the party revolved, so his presence over shadowed the current flag-bearer of the party.

He said the positive change the electorate voted for was still on course and challenged anyone to prove that the government was leaning on mere rhetorics, adding that, Ghanaians would have suffered more, but for the timely intervention of the NPP government.