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It is now confirmed that former President Jerry John Rawlings, founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), has deserted his paty to join forces with the newly-formed National Democratic Party (NDP). Interim General Secretary of the NDP, Dr. Joseph Mamboa-Rockson, dropped the hint during an encounter with journalists in Sunyani that Mrs. Rawlings was gearing up to contest the flagbearership position of the party for the December elections. Credible sources have told Daily Guide that former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo was flown into the country on Tuesday night in the private jet of Ibrahim Mahama, the younger brother of President John Dramani, to plead with Mr. Rawlings to campaign for the NDC. But Mr. Rawlings was said to have maintained his position not to campaign for his once cherished NDC, leaving General Obasanjo and his sponsors in a state of disappointment. According to sources, President Mahama had pleaded with former President Obasanjo, former President Kufuor's good friend to broker peace for Rawlings to join the NDC campaign. On arrival in Accra, Daily Guide learnt that President Obasanjo requested to hold a meeting with President Kufuor before meeting President Mahama and later President Rawlings after which the Nigerian strongman was driven to Ada for another round of meeting. According to sources, Mr. Rawlings was to embark on a nationwide tour to explain to opinion leaders why he could not be part of the NDC campaign. He started off with a meeting with the Awomefia of Anlo, Togbui Sri III, on Tuesday. According to Dr. Mamboa-Rockson, the NDC founder's decision to attend the recent special national delegates' congress of the NDC with some NDP chieftains was because "we were there for him to show them that these are my other children apart from the NDC". The NDP chief scribe stated that Mr. Rawlings' presence at the congress was not to show support for the NDC, insisting that the issue of whether or not the former President would campaign for the NDC or the NDC would be clearer when the NDP was officially launched.