Rawlings gave Volta Diaspora Caucus GHc5, 000 to make sure NDC wins……Woyome reveals

Businessman and close friend of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, has revealed the founder of the party, rather wanted the party to win the Monday 7, December 2020, contrary to claims from certain quarters.

According to Alfred Woyome, the late President gave a group within the NDC, Volta Diaspora Caucus (VDC) very close to the founder some five thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢5,000) to go and work and ensure the comeback of the NDC led by John Dramani Mahama.

This comes few weeks after the Secretary-General of the National Democratic Party (NDP) founded by wife of Mr Rawlings, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, had mentioned that it was the wish of the late former President to see the NDC lose the 2020 general elections.

Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, stated that Mr Rawlings believed that Mahama and his cohorts, have departed from the very principles of probity and accountability upon which the NDC was formed.

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This according to him, was the fundamental reason behind the late statesman’s wish to see Mr Mahama lose the December 7 elections.

“Rawlings failed to vote for the NDC in the 2016 general election and it was the wish of Rawlings to see the NDC lose the 2020 general,” he said.

But Mr Woyome, who is giving a different account, said Mr Rawlings until his demise still had a soft spot for the NDC and that the GHc5,000 was presented to the group when the group visited him when him mother Victoria Agbotui, died.

“I was told that the last time the Volta Caucus met him, he actually gave them a sum of GH¢5,000 and wished that they go and do what they should do to let the NDC, come to power. That was the time his mother was called to glory. So, very short time ago you can see”.

Mr Woyome, who said this to journalists on the sidelines of a grand durbar held last Saturday in Accra in honour of the former President, said Mr Rawlings, had a great impact on the Caucus.

“So you can understand his impact on the Volta Caucus. Volta Caucus cannot exist without Jerry John Rawlings. It is not because of anybody that Volta Caucus was formed. It was formed within the NDC as a pressure group for all Voltarians within the Diaspora and without Jerry John Rawlings, they couldn’t exist”.

The programme, which brought sympathizers of NDC from all walks of life, was used to eulogize the former president, who shockingly died on Thursday November 12, 2020 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after a short illness.

Mr Woyome, said the legacies of Mr Rawlings, whose is credited with the birth of the 4th Republic will continue to be celebrated taking into consideration, his contribution to the forward march of Ghana.

He said, Mr Rawlings is celebrated today because he brought stability to the political landscape adding even after he returned the country to Constitutional rule after two successful military takeovers, he handed power after serving two terms as elected president and his party lost the 2000 election.

“The revolution promised power to the people and humbly, this man ensured that the power has been given to the people and this power call “Power of the thump” If you come and you don’t perform, we will peacefully take you out. That’s what he promised and people believed in the power of the thump. What does it call for?

It calls for that we honour him and make sure that as founder of the 4th Republic, the most stable democracy that we have had guided by the 1992 Constitution which he made sure that ordinary men, women artisans, farmers all came together, to draft as a memorial document, is the basis for this democracy that we are enjoying”.

He recalled that at a time Mr. Rawlings finished his two term and his party lost “He, Jerry John Rawlings handed over peacefully, although his party didn’t win”.

The NDC financier recalled how the party’s founder criticized the party he birthed without fear or favour, adding he continuously attacked his party when he found it fit, whether it was approaching an election, one day to an election, if he feels anything about his party whether he is right or wrong, he goes after his party”.

He said, this style of Rawlings showed that he wasn’t only concerned about the NDC, but Ghana as a whole.

Touching on the upcoming elections, Mr Woyome, said Ghana and the institutions that are mandated to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in honour of the late President memory and all those who died during the Revolution, do not die in vain.

“We should ensure that the EC does it work transparently apolitical, for the people of Ghana. They are not there for any political party, they are there for sovereign Ghana and therefore, the EC will do to mar the election, I will call a coup d’état of the Revolution”.

He cautioned the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure there is no voter suppression, voter fraud and ensure that every vote counts, so that Ghana continues to shine among its peers on the continent.

The Paramount chief of Avatime, and a member of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Osie Adza Tekpor VII, expressed concern about how the NDC, especially it Members of Parliament (MP) from the region abandoned their party founder and failed to live up to the principle of probity and accountability mantra.

Speaking in his personal capacity, he said the relationship that existed between the NDC and it founder during his last days, was not the best and thinks that it should have been better like it is done in other parties.

He tasked the NDC to live up to the probity and accountability mantra as espoused by the founder.

Osie Adza Tekpor VII, said people from the region must stand out and feel proud that they belong to the NDC.

“They should not be afraid of recognizing or identifying with the NDC”. He asked chiefs in the region to work hand in hand with the NDC because the NDC belongs to the region.

He went on to call on the government to call back the security personnel it has flooded the region with adding what the region experienced during the voter registration exercise gives them cause to worry.

He rejected claim by government that it brought the very strange security personnel because of COVID-19 as smoke screen saying “people have gone there with other ulterior motives. The ulterior motive was by the people who are not true military officers.

We are hearing that certain political party is pushing an agenda to put fear into the voters in the Volta region especially those who are living in the villages where there will not be radio coverage, there will not be television coverage and they will unleash security people dressed in the uniform of EC officials on them.

Though he did not think the government has an agenda the people of the Volta Region, he said he was convinced there are people in government who are against the region.

The colourful event attracted giants from the region, including former Transport Minister, Dzifa Aku Attivor, who happens to be the national coordinator of the Volta Diaspora Caucus, former NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho Central, Captain (rtd) George Nfojoh, former Trade and Industry Minister under Mr Rawlings, Dan Abodakpe, former Women’s Organiser, Anita Desoso, and the Parliamentary Candidate (PC) of the Ablekuma Central Constituency, Abdul-Latif Dan.

There was a display of rich Anlo culture, as well as music and dance.