Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings
It is now clear that former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings will contest the December general elections on the ticket of the newly-formed National Democratic Party (NDP).
In what looked like a declaration of her desire to take a shot at the presidency, Mrs. Rawlings did not hide her readiness to enter the presidential race during last Saturday?s Legend and Legacy Ball that honoured highlife king Abrantie Amakye Dede at the Accra International Conference Centre.
When asked by Kwame Sefa-Kayi, a Peace FM presenter, in Twi, whether she was prepared to accept the call from the NDP to become its flag-bearer, Mrs. Rawlings responded ?Ebeba so? which literally means ?It will happen!?
It would be recalled that in late April 2011, a similar incident happened between the same characters at the FAMOUS 5 musical concert during the ruling NDC?s preparation towards the Sunyani congress where the late President John Evans Atta Mills was elected its flagbearer.
After putting political observers in suspense for some time, Mrs. Rawlings, who resigned as a vice chairperson of the NDC, told a cheering crowd that she was going to contest President Mills at the time.
A deafening ?yes!.. yes!?yes!? had been the repetitive response from the packed crowd when the same presenter asked whether Nana Konadu would contest then President Mills at the July 8-10 congress.
At the weekend?s event, it was clear that the 63-year-old former First Lady had received an enviable endorsement from a packed audience when she responded, ?Ebeba So!?
Sefa Kayi also asked her opinion on what would happen to Nana Akufo-Addo and the other flag bearers ? as he pointed towards the other side of the VIP area where the NPP flagbearer and his entourage sat ? she jokingly replied: ?We will push them aside.?
About the free secondary education promised by Akufo-Addo NPP, Nana Konadu was seen nodding in favour of the policy after the MC had asked Minister of Education Lee Ocran if it was possible.
Mr. Ocran was visibly not happy with the question and did not answer it.
When the same question was posed to Nana Addo, the crowd went ecstatic as it answered for the NPP leader that it would happen.
Already, the NDP?s entry into the race has ruffled feathers in the corridors of power and many political observers are of the view that the latest political development would further dwindle the electoral fortunes of the ruling NDC since the NDP has been formed by disgruntled members of the ruling party.
Just last Friday, it officially received its certificate from the Electoral Commission to enable them to operate as a political party.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings, founder of the NDC, and his wife Nana Konadu are believed to be behind the formation of the NDP but the former first family has always denied that claim.
By William Yaw Owusu
