Four months to the December general elections, and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to be at a crossroad over whether or not to co-join the party’s founder and ‘spiritual leader’ and his wife on its campaign trail. Reliable information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicates that the country’s largest opposition political party is in such a fix that top guns of the party are at a loss as to how the yawning gap between the camp of the flag-bearer, Professor John Evans Atta Mills and that of former President Jerry John Rawlings, could be bridged. The sharp contrast in opinion, sources say, was provoked by the former President’s utterances, which one school of thought says is detrimental to the milder political image of Prof Mills, and therefore undermining the NDC campaign. But another group, headed by Mills’ Campaign Coordinator, Alex Segbefia is of a dissenting view, claiming the professor’s campaign seriously needs to be livened up with hot political speeches from its charismatic founder. According to the first group, after former President Rawlings’ utterances, and those of his wife, Nana Konadu during their recent July 1st press conference and the interaction with Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) wing of the party at his Ridge residence, it took the hierarchy several weeks to do some damage control, which has not gone down well with the electorate. “The former President is our leader alright, but our fear is that one ‘boom’ speech from him can send the campaign three steps backwards,” an insider observed. Interestingly, while the group is apprehensive about the effect of such comments on the party’s chances in the December elections, a number of other party people, including Alex Segbefia, Mills’ Campaign Coordinator, think the former First Family is badly needed to kick-start the campaign of the professor. Segbefia said the party needs Mr Rawlings to launch a three-pronged campaign strategy of the three Johns (Rawlings, Mills and Mahama) to overwhelm that of the NPP’s Nana Addo; but insiders are worried that any slight mistake or unwarranted utterance could cause more harm than good. Vintage Rawlings cannot be gagged when he is in full flight and therefore it is better to leave him out, rather than allow him to cause havoc to the campaign, a source said. The Mills campaign coordinator however believes Mr Rawlings is needed to inject oxygen to the campaign, saying that they would not fall for the propaganda of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). According to Segbefia, the fight to exclude Rawlings from the Mills campaign train is the handiwork of the ruling NPP. But sources close to the flag-bearer and his running mate have revealed that the campaign team is okay without the former President. A number of Rawlings’ former die-hard admirers have also intimated that they wish that after turning 61, the former President would rather watch the political game from the stands and offer valuable advice. The NDC founder and his wife have since May this year distanced themselves from the activities of the flag-bearer after the professor kicked against their choice of a running-mate. The former President is yet to formally meet Hon. John Dramani Mahama, Mills’ running mate, since his nomination months ago. It would be recalled that the couple were not in town during the official outdooring of Mr Mahama. Several attempts by party gurus to bridge the gap, DAILY GUIDE learnt, have been rebuffed by the residents of the Boom Junction. While it is not clear whether a traditional leader is expected to wade into the matter, political observers strongly believe that last Monday’s announced resignation of Alhaji Said Sinare, NDC national vice chairman, is not unconnected with the Mills/Rawlings tug-of-war. Reports indicate that Alex Segbefia was sent to the Ridge residence of the Rawlingses on a peace-brokering mission on July 8th, 2008 - the day Nana Konadu boomed over the credentials of President John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is however not clear if he was able to accomplish his mission in the face of the rumpus that followed Konadu’s comments that Nana Addo and President Kufuor are not lawyers because they did not have law degrees like her daughter. Prof Mills’ spokesman, Mahama Ayariga later distanced the Mills’ campaign team from Konadu’s faux pas, explaining that the NDC flag-bearer appreciates the legal credentials of the President and the NPP flag-bearer. The party is still recovering from the setback it suffered in terms of reputation, following Konadu’s claims that Kufuor and Akuffo-Addo are not qualified lawyers. The unprecedented North Ridge insinuations cast by the Rawlingses visibly shook the very foundation of the country’s largest opposition party, prompting spontaneous reactions from several quarters. Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, NDC National Youth Organizer and MP for Tamale South Constituency, admitted that what Nana Konadu said to the effect that President John Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo had lied about their law credentials, could destabilize the Mills campaign for the up-coming general elections. Indicating that the youth wing of the party was worried over the statements, the firebrand politician did not mince words in condemning the allegations. “I must say that we are deeply concerned”, he told a radio station, adding that everything must be done to prevent a repetition. This was followed almost immediately by a response from Mahama Ayariga, who quoted Prof Mills as saying those making the claims were either ignorant or had been misled. Even Hon. Clend Sowu, Ayawaso West Wuogon chairman of the NDC, and Fred Agbenyo, the Greater Accra regional TEIN chairman, registered their displeasure over the claims. Source: Daily Guide