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Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has debunked the notion that former President Rawlings has �been left out� of the affairs of the ruling National Democratic Congress, saying that former president Rawlings still remains an integral part of the NDC. Mr. Ablakwa who was speaking on Xfm�s Big Bite morning show said, �in as much as we would want President Mills to be respected and treated as a president, former president, a human being and a citizen who also had something to offer, so we would want to treat president Rawlings and that is how we treat him�. He said considering the fact that Mr. Rawlings had declared his support for his wife who is contesting the flagbearership position of the NDC against President Mills in the July 8 congress; it was no surprise that the former president would speak against President Mills. Even though Mr. Rawlings� criticisms of the Mills� government was before Mrs. Rawlings openly declared her intentions to contest the flagbearership position of the party, Mr. Ablakwa said it was no news that the former president was privy to his wife�s political ambition hence the former president�s need to criticize the Mills led government. �When people decide that they will run for an office, they don�t decide the day they announce publicly. They harbor the intention. They share it with close associates, their spouses. They begin to strategize. They sometimes even form groups to start canvassing for them before they will make a public announcement. By that time plans are far advanced. They are certain that they have done all the ground work. Imagine if you go and make a public announcement and then your husband didn�t know, your spouse didn�t know or your close aides didn�t know. Who are going to campaign for you? I mean we don�t have to be childish about this.� Touching on the commemoration of June 4th anniversary in Kumasi last Saturday, Mr. Ablakwa said President Mills indicated last year that he always makes a conscious effort to commemorate the day wherever he finds himself, adding that what mattered was how one lived by the principles he believed in and not their physical presence at a gathering.