Former President Jerry John Rawlings has launched another choleric outburst at the governance style of President John Evans Atta Mills and his ministers, vowing not to put his life on the line any longer for people he described as ‘greedy bastards’ in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Even though he failed to name the so-called greedy bastards, the NDC founder fumed at the reckless dissipation of state property in the current government and signaled his intention to take back the party he formed ‘with his blood’.

Rawlings lamented that just as previous governments had humiliated him and made several attempts on his life, the Mills government is also doing same.

“Let us wake up and take our destiny into our own hands. When we won, I thought I could retire and write my memoirs but I am not being allowed to. I have suffered humiliation, assassination attempts, and abuse, and now I am facing the same with my party’s government”.

His statement provoked so much heat in the party that the Minister for Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, retorted that the former President’s outbursts were practically ‘giving out the ruling party to dogs’.

The former President, who was addressing NDC constituency chairmen drawn from some 22 constituencies in Accra on Monday, charged the party activists to confront government and demand fulfillment of campaign promises.

He also threatened to abandon the party if things remained unchanged.

He lamented that while those who put their heads on the chopping board were being neglected, some unknown persons had virtually hijacked the party, holding it to ransom.

“We have brought people into our midst that are unknown to the party, people we do not know. If we do not wake up to correct the mistakes, I will not have anything to do with the party. I have died so many times for the party, been humiliated both locally and internationally. I cannot die for the greedy bastards who have wormed their way into government,” he fumed.

He cautioned that self-seekers in the party would have to be exposed before the party implodes.

“Some of our people are intoxicated with power and have forgotten about the people. The NDC that was borne out of the quest for justice is being destroyed so the NPP will return?.. If they want to destroy government, they should go ahead, but they should not transfer that to the party. If I was a selfish person, June 4 and 31st December would not have happened,” he said.

The constituency chairmen, who were led to the former President’s residence by Magnus Anyetei Sowah, constituency chairman for La-Dadekotopon, went to express misgivings about what they called “break in communication between the party and government”.

They maintained that the Mills presidency had failed to accord them audience whenever they called or presented a petition to the seat of government.

Sowah said the Ga constituencies had played an instrumental role in returning the NDC to power and fumed that the people were being sidelined.

He revealed that some members of government had threatened them that they would be dealt with if they made public their disenchantment.

But in a sharp response, Haruna Iddrisu expressed regret at what Rawlings said, particularly the use of the phrase ‘greedy bastards’ to classify members of the Mills Administration.

The Communications Minister, however, warned on Metro TV that those in the NDC who are pulling down the government should note that nobody would profit out of demonizing the administration.

This is not the first time former President Rawlings had found faults with the governance style of the Mills Administration. About six months ago, he was quoted as saying the President was too dull.

At the time, some party members defended him, saying the founder should be allowed to speak his mind.

Not long ago, the NDC founder again charged at some persons in government whom he alleged were hijacking the party from him. “Take your government and I will take my party,” he was quoted as saying.

This was worsened by the ‘team A and B’ ministerial theorem postulated by Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, former NDC presidential aspirant who is seen as a side-kick of Rawlings.

The statement shook the government to its very foundation, prompting the party to wade into a looming verbal battle with Mills’ confidants in the party.

Some observers say the glaring rift in the ruling party is a possible threat to the chances of President Mills in any future elections in this country. However others also postulate that the silence on the part of President Mills is his way of getting the aggressive former president off his back and being “his own man”.

Source: Daily Guide