NDC Big Shot: Rawlings & Pratt Are the Same

In a dramatic turn of phrase, and obviously out of frustration, a senior member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has told The Mail that his party’s founder, Mr Jerry John Rawlings is the same as Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jr. editor of the Insight newspaper.

Reacting to statements by both Rawlings and Pratt recently, the senior NDC member, pleading strict anonymity said “they are the same in character, but different in personality…I think their arguments are based on personality clash not ideas or anything … They come out openly when they see that something is not going as they think, they are the same…” he said. Would both Rawlings and Pratt take this observation as a compliment or as something pejorative?

Since becoming President nine months ago, Professor Mills and his government have been on the receiving end of Mr Rawlings’ lashing tongue. Last week he was at it in Kumasi and Mr Pratt has also been at it telling it as it is to the NDC founder to shut up! “But honestly,” the top NDC official said, “I am not comfortable with the way they both react to matters…they may have their own views, which is respectable, but sometimes you may be right but how you put out the statement, might make you wrong… Kwesi Pratt’s own is a personal attack.”

Mr Pratt has been on a series of radio discussion programmes hitting back at Mr Rawlings for describing Presdient MILLS AS WEAK AND SLOW. Mr Pratt, who has been categorical and strident in his attacks, said Ghanaians voted for President Mills and not for Rawlings so he should leave the President alone. According to Mr Pratt, Rawlings wants President Mills to rule according to his (Rawlings) style and dictates, that is why he has been taking unfair swipes at the President. In a seemingly counciliatory tone towards his former quarry, Mr Pratt said Rawlings attacked ex-Presdient Kufuor the same way and now wants to do the same to Presdient Mills.

Mr Rawlings has been accusing Presdient Mills of having failed to deliver on his promise of providing dynamic leadership for the nation, adding that Presdient Mills had surrounded himself with people who were taking advantage of his slow approach to the running of the state.

But Mr Pratt said, the country does not need a “dragon or lion” President, it needs a President who will use the constitution to rule. On Mr Rawlings outbursts, the NDC top official said, “I think he wants the NPP back to power, if not, all these comments would have stopped, he can call the President and advise him, but not go public on issues…he is rather giving the opposition more arms to fight us and when we go down, Mr Rawlings must know that the NDC is one and we all go down together.”

Sounding despondent, he asked: “Does he know what his comments bring to the presidency…does he think the NDC is all about Rawlings?” Mr. Rawlings’ comments, he said, also show disrespect to the presidency. As to whether Mr Kwesi Pratt Jr. and Jerry John Rawlings are the same, the jury may not need any length of time to arrive at a verdict…

Source: The Mail