The late former president and founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings may have died, but his ‘no-nonsense character’ is still alive and reverberating in his daughter, Dr. Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings.
The embarrassing defeat suffered by her father’s party in Parliament last week Friday, has not only shocked the medical doctor cum politician, but is drawing her closer to the gods her father believe in – Antoa.
According to her, if her father was alive, he would have probably challenged all minority MPs to the Antoa god to swear and in addition, use a lie detector test to determine how they voted.
“On Friday night, I felt this deep pain that maybe it was perhaps better that he was not alive to witness what had happened to the NDC. But then again, I thought perhaps had he been alive he would probably have challenged all of us to go and swear on Antoa or dared us to take a lie-detector test!,” she wrote on her facebook wall.
DEFENSE
Acknowledging that it was wrong for her to film what was meant to be a secret ballot, but for evidence sake, she risked it.
She explained that she was not ready to soil her integrity and be bundled together with the few who have acted contrary to the collective goal, for their own parochial interest.
Dr. Zanetor wrote, “If you disagree with a position the party and leadership have taken, have the courage of your conviction and speak up! It is cowardice and treachery to hide within the collective to pursue your individual parochial agenda!!! For the first time, I was forced to keep evidence of my votes to protect my integrity and my name!”
DRIFT
According to the medical doctor, the NDC, founded by her father, has been drifting from its principles and values not-so-slowly.
She guessed that was a wakeup call that this drift could no longer be ignored or brushed under the carpet.
Zanetor observed that it took a handful of people and a single iceberg to sink the titanic and with it, many innocent persons drowned or froze to death.
ADVICE
Zanetor recalled that her father continued to advise and chastise the party in the face of sometimes outright abuse from his own, but he remained true to his convictions.
She recalled when from his hospital bed, her father asked her how the people in her constituency were doing in the lead up to the 2020 General Elections, opining that even a few days away from his own death, he was still worried about Ghana.
According to her, though the founder of the NDC is no longer alive, the party has come too far to destroy its own legacy.
She thus emphasised on the need to return to the values and principles on which the NDC was built, “including honesty, accountability, integrity, discipline and commitment to our nation, Ghana!!”
EXONERATION
Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings is amongst several NDC MPs who have come out to condemn how the voting went in Parliament last Friday.
The likes of Murtala Mohammed, Okudzeto Ablakwa, have all made statements creating the impression that they did not betray the party.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the party says it would identify those who voted against the nominees and openly commend them.
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